Dreamscapes
by Zoe1078
Summary: Bella dreams of Jacob after she breaks his heart following the newborn battle. He is forced to leave town to protect her from a continuing threat, and the dreams continue. They are more than they appear. Rated M for lemons/violence. Nominated for two Non-Canon Award for Best Lemon; runner up for Best Romance. Also nominated for JBNP, Energize WIP Awards, and 3 Fandom Choice Awards.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Bella dreams of Jacob after she breaks his heart following the newborn battle.

Rating: MA for lemons. Not suitable for under 18 years.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stefenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Sunday

She can't stop thinking of the look on his face when she broke his heart. He is the only person in her life who has been consistently good to her, kind to her, and she has brought him little but heartache and pain. She recalls his screams as his bones were re-broken. She knows he would suffer through that physical torture an infinite number of times if only she would take back her words. All she can see is the hope in his eyes as she finally admitted her love for him, and the shade that came over them when she said it wasn't enough. She wishes it could be different, wishes it could be other than it is. Wishes that her heart belonged to her so she could give it to him. She knows it would be safe in his care.

But she gave away her heart long before she realized she could love him, and her heart was never returned to her. When Edward left, he took the broken pieces of her heart with him. Scattered them far from her on his travels. She found Edward just when she was on the cusp of taking back the broken fragments. She was about to pull them back to her. She was going to entrust them to Jacob. They both knew he would have fashioned the shattered pieces into something stronger than they were before. It's what he does. He fixes things. Makes them better. But before she had the chance, she fled halfway round the world, found Edward and brought him home, but she still doesn't know what he's done with her heart. She can't give her heart to Jacob because she doesn't know where it is. She's not even sure the pieces fit together anymore. Edward is back and she thinks he still has them, and he isn't giving them back. She has no choice in the matter. Edward has the pieces of her heart, so she can't give them away to someone else.

It's been days since she broke Jacob's heart. It's been days since she left him lying in his small bed, since she broke his heart to reflect his broken body. She knows Jacob will heal. There is old magic in him. It will take his fractured bones and bruised body and mend it together. But who will mend Jacob's heart? Is there magic in him to repair what she has done to him? Jacob put her back together. Who will put him back together?

She wants to undo what she has done. She feels guilt like she hasn't felt before. In the daylight hours, Edward tells her it's okay. Tells her that he knows she loves Jacob and didn't want to hurt him. Tells her that Jacob was there when he wasn't, and that it's okay that she loves him. She cries out that she loves Edward more. Murmurs that her love for Jacob is nothing compared to her love for him. Claims she has no regrets and wishes only for her eternity with him.

But at night, with cold arms wrapped around her, she dreams of warmth. She dreams that the lips that brush against hers are soft and pliant. Now she knows just how right the other lips taste on her tongue, and she cannot deny them in her dreams.

_She is standing outside the closed door of his room. Everything she really wants is on the other side. Everything she really needs. Here, in the darkness of his home, she can admit it to herself. She takes a deep breath to steady herself. She enters, and quietly closes the door behind her. _

_He is peaceful and still as he sleeps. She had forgotten how young he really is. How innocent he should be. Innocent no longer, forced into a world of monsters and demons, growing into a destiny he does not desire._

_She watches his chest slowly rise and fall. His chest is no longer bandaged; his bruises have faded in the days since she left him last. The casts are gone, but she knows he is not yet entirely well. Weak moonlight filters through the window, illuminating his bronze skin. She wants to touch it. Wants to run her fingers along his collarbone, lying exposed before her. Wants to trace a path up his neck, along his pulse. Once she's turned, will his pulse call out to her? Will the blood running through his veins sing to her? They tell her that the wolves are repulsive to them, that the scent repels them. She edges closer to him, close enough to inhale the combination of rainwater and pine needles and earth that is uniquely him. That she could ever find his scent anything other than alluring is preposterous. His scent is comfort. His scent is home. With her luck, he will be her singer, her mortal enemy whose heart she has broken._

_She sits on the edge of the bed, causing his thin bedsheet to slide down. The movement exposes his torso to her greedy eyes. Her breath hitches in her chest. He is the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. How has she not realized that fact until now? Yes, her marble-skinned Adonis is a work of art. But here in front of her are a broader set of shoulders, a plumper set of lips, a thicker set of long, dark lashes, a more defined set of abdominals. She looks at the arms that carried her to safety, that caught her before she fell, that wrapped around her to pull her out of churning, deadly waters, and that spun her in circles of love and laughter._

_One of those arms is still healing from a dozen different fractures. He is made more beautiful because of his vulnerability. His impermanence. He is more beautiful because he can be taken away. Because despite the long life afforded him, someday he will be gone. She has almost lost him already. And now she has driven him away. _

_She can't stand what she has done to him. So tonight she will make it up to him, if he will have her. She will give in to her true desire. She gently runs her hands along the planes of his stomach. She traces the ridge and valley of each rectus abdominis. Runs her index finger along the edge of his hip, where the external obliques point down to make a V. She traces back up. Serratus anterior. Pectoralis major. Deltoid. By the time she reaches the biceps, his eyes are open and looking right at her._

_He doesn't look at all surprised to see her. He knows her better than anyone else. He knows what she really needs. He can hear it in the sudden racing of her pulse. He can see it in the dilation of her pupils. He can hear it in the catching of her breath. He can smell it in the musky scent that floods his room as soon as she sees him looking at her. And now he wants to taste it on his tongue. _

_He starts by slowly sitting up. He doesn't want to scare her away. Her fingers are still on his injured arm, so he runs the fingers of his other hand up her opposite arm. He traces the opposite path that her fingers just travelled. Fingers, hand, arm, shoulder, breast (oh, so lightly), stomach, hip. He leaves a trail of burning electricity along her skin underneath the t-shirt she wears to sleep. He pulls her closer to him, and tugs until she's seated against his uninjured side. He wraps his arm around her waist to pull her flush against him, and runs his fingers up her flank until they are tangled in her hair, gently cradling the base of her skull in his large hand. She is plaint against him and neither of them has blinked. _

_He zeroes in on her parted lips. They are warm and soft and pink and still very much alive. He wants so very badly for them to stay that way. His words have not convinced her, but can his body? Is that why she came? He draws her in, dips his head, and barely brushes his bottom lip against hers. She lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding, and he breathes her in. She is gone. There is no point in resisting. She melts into him, her tongue reaching out to trace his lips. She could do this for days. This is the way a kiss is supposed to feel. Heat and passion, not cold and restraint. There is need and want and lust. But most of all, there is love. _

_She relishes his grip in her hair. He is flexing his injured hand gently against her thigh. The cotton beneath his fingers is soft, the flesh beneath even softer. She isn't sure if he has pulled her down or if she has pushed him back, but she finds herself lying on top of him, straddling his left leg through the thin sheet, her chest flush against his and her lips running down along his jaw. She nuzzles her nose along the sensitive skin of his neck and kisses the dip where his neck meets his shoulder. She tastes the salt of his skin and he moans. The sound provokes another rush of arousal in her, and she isn't embarrassed in the least to know that his heightened senses can pick up on every physical sign of her need for him. Because she can tell just how hard he is against her leg. _

_His fingers release their grip on her hair and her leg to find that the skin of her back is even smoother than he remembers. He has held her before, touched her skin, but never like this. He needs more, and so does she. He traces her vertebrae upward with his good hand under her shirt, while with his injured one he lightly tickles her flank, finding sensitive spots that he memorizes for later. She squirms a little, and he wonders what she'll do if he runs tongue there instead. He reaches a spot that makes her back arch, causing her to pull back from him just a little. _

_He is a little tentative, stilling his hands against her ribs and staring up at her. It makes her bold. She sits up all the way, the heat of her core easy to feel through his sheet and her thin cotton pajama pants. She looks him straight in the eye, pushes him back to the bed, grips the bottom of her shirt, and pulls it above her head. Her long hair drops down around her, partly shielding her breasts from his gaze. He can't breathe. He can see the underside of each breast, and he can't take his eyes off them. He is frozen until she takes his good hand in her own and gently squeezes, giving him permission. He swallows thickly, and gently brushes her hair over her shoulder and stares._

_She expects him to touch her, to pull his hand from her shoulder and trace, caress, cup, and fondle. But he doesn't. He is memorizing the way she looks right now. He is burning the image into his brain. He always wants to remember the exact blush across her chest, the pattern of freckles on her skin, the tightening of her light brown nipples in the cool air. It arouses her beyond belief, and he has barely touched her anywhere. With Edward, she is always in awe. Weak to his strength, submissive to his judgement, undeserving of his attention. But right now, she has never felt so powerful in her life._

_When Jacob finally moves, instead of reaching for her breasts, he pulls her up and toward him. She falls forward and locks her arms so as not to smother him with her chest. Although that is probably what he wants, because he reaches for her left nipple not with his fingers but with his tongue. He traces circles along her aureola with the tip, and laves the hardened peak with the flat expanse. It sends a deep ache between her legs and she moans deeply. He draws as much of her breast into his mouth as he is able, and he suckles lightly. Each taste draws a different sound from her throat. He wants to hear them all. He experimentally, lightly, runs his teeth along the nipple, and she tosses her head back and gasps. He feels a corresponding rush of wetness between her legs, and she unconsciously begins to squirm against his leg. _

_She is climbing higher and higher just from this. She had no idea her breasts were so sensitive. She has touched herself before, has fantasized before, has brought herself to orgasm by her own hand before, but the heat of him is more than she ever imagined. The waves of pleasure washing over her are wonderfully new to her. The seam of her pants is pressing up against her clitoris, and she can't stop herself from rocking against his thigh to cause delicious friction in just the right spot. He reaches his left hand up and brushes his knuckles along her right nipple, elevating her right to the cliff's edge. He can sense just how close she is, knows that she needs just a little push. So he rolls her right nipple between his fingers, oh so gently rolls her left nipple between his teeth, and presses his left thigh up into her core, and she is flying off the edge, crying out in wordless joy._

_She collapses on top of him, disoriented and happy. She feels him smiling into her hair. He is smug, surprised, and not just a little satisfied. If he can make her feel this way with half her clothes still on, how good will it be once she's completely naked and he's able to touch her everywhere? She decides to find out. She lifts herself off him and hooks her thumbs into the waistband of her pants, gazes at him through her lashes. His smirk disappears, and she pushes the fabric down past her hips. Her pants pool around her ankles and she steps out of them. His eyes are serious and dark as they rake up and down her body. She feels beautiful and wanted. He reaches out his damaged hand and lightly grips her hip, drawing her back to the bed. Before she climbs back onto the bed, she takes hold of the thin sheet still wrapped around his waist and tugs down. _

_Her breath leaves her in an audible woosh. She shouldn't be surprised that he is naked. He wears little enough clothing out in public; why would he wear anything in his own bed? Despite having nothing to compare him to, she is quite sure that by any standards he is enormous. Enough to make her worried. Is there any way that's going to fit? She realizes she's been staring for a while when she drags her eyes off his cock and back up to his face, finding the smirk has returned. This time it's accompanied with a mischievous glint in his eye. She decides to wipe the smug look off his face, so she kneels on the edge of the bed and draws her fingers up his length. _

_He sucks in a sharp breath as she grips him by the base with her left hand, leaving her right free to explore. He is hot and hard and silky all at once. She traces along the large vein that runs its length, provoking a large sigh from him. She runs her thumb along the crown's edge, drawing a sharp gasp as she finds a sensitive spot in the center of the crown. She is fascinated by the drop of clear liquid weeping from the tip. She smooths it over the head with her thumb, and he groans. She brings her thumb up to her lips to taste him, and he is salty and tastes better than she'd imagined. At the same time she pumps once, twice, three times with her left hand. She grips him with both fists at once, the right on top of the left, and he is so large that nearly half of him is still exposed to the open air. She experimentally twists her fists while pumping them up and down in sync, drawing a series of deep, breathy moans from deep within his chest. He struggles to keep his eyes open, to watch what she is doing to him, to burn the image of her working his flesh into his memory to fuel his fantasies. If this is a game, she thinks she is winning until he grabs hold of her busy hands, stilling them, and pulls her up toward him._

_She thinks he is going to kiss her until he feels him tug her higher, settling her above him, her lovely legs resting on either side of his head, her core right above his face. She reaches for the wall to support herself above her, and is more nervous than she has ever been. For a second she is embarrassed about her own compulsion to shave herself bare, until she sees the hungry look in his eye. It's obvious that he loves the way she looks. He breathes deeply, and this time she really is embarrassed and trembles a bit above him. Before she has a chance to pull away, he leans up to kiss her mound sweetly. He smiles up at her. It's not the bright, sunny grin that she thinks of as the quintessential Jacob smile. This smile is truly sexy. This one is meant for her, and her alone. It centers her. Calms her. Only Jacob could make her feel so comforted at a time like this. _

_Then his eyes darken and his lids droop. He moves side to side, nuzzling his nose gently along the folds at the top of her inner thighs. He peppers barely-there kisses along her lips in tingling trails. She had never realized just how sensitive her skin is there. When she's touched herself in the past, she never took the time to explore her own body so slow or so thoroughly. She had no idea she could feel this good, and he still hasn't touched her center. _

_He has her lovely ass gripped in his large, hot hands, and he can't believe his good fortune. He is more turned on than he has ever been, and he knows he has brought her to the same place. She is desperate. Wanting. But not knowing exactly what it is she wants. She is on the verge of begging when finally, finally, he reaches out his tongue to lave the entire length of her slit. The taste is pure sex, and his cock throbs in response. Now he wants more. He teases her with a few more light strokes of his tongue, not quite stroking along the nub, until she is whimpering with need. With a groan, he gives in and presses his tongue firmly against her clit, and she screams. _

_He licks in frantic circles as she grinds down against his face. She is whimpering continuously, trying to get even closer to him. His hot mouth on her is pure pleasure. He pulls back just a little, and she is alarmed until she feels him move down to plunge his long tongue deep into her. Oh, a different sort of pleasure. He slowly thrusts his tongue and she tosses her head back with a gasp. He can sense the shift in her, that the wonderful sensations he is causing in these dual parts of her sex are separate and distinct. He grins into her body, slides his tongue back up to flick at her clit, and slides one large, thick finger slowly into her. She freezes above him. It's almost too much. It's somehow not enough. He gently fucks her with his hand as he tongues her, slowly picking up speed. He can't believe how tight she is, and can't wait to plunge his dick all the way in. He gazes up at her and thinks to himself that this is his new favorite view. Her head has fallen forward again, and she's biting her bottom lip just like she does when she's nervous. He knows that every time he sees her do that, from now on, he will flash back to this moment. _

_She needs just a little more, just a little something extra. He slides a second finger in and experimentally turns his fingers, and she bites her lip harder. He twists and pumps simultaneously, and she vibrates with pleasure. Then he curls his fingers. She cries out, arches her back, taut as a bowstring. He is incredibly turned on, and she isn't even touching his cock. He repeats the motion again and again, and when he finally sucks her clit into his pursed, soft lips, that's it. She's gone. She's coming, her legs locked onto his skull in his new favorite embrace. It's almost endless, and her keening pleasure triggers his own release. He pumps up into the open air, spurting all over his own stomach. She finally falls over onto the bed beside him._

_He turns his head to look at her curled around his uninjured side. She looks more than satisfied. She looks happy. And she looks... asleep. He chuckles to himself. It's just as well, seeing as he already came as well. Although he's still hard, despite his own orgasm. Maybe it's just being a teenage boy, maybe it's one of the few perks of being a werewolf, maybe it's that the girl lying next to him is Bella, but he's pretty sure he wouldn't even need a minute to recover for another round. But she looks more peaceful than he's seen her in months. More peaceful than he's ever seen her, really. He gazes at her sleeping form for long minutes, calm and content. He wants to hold onto this perfect moment in his hand. It's the last thought he has before he succumbs to warm darkness._

The next morning, Jacob gradually wakes with a small smile on his face. He doesn't want to move. Last night was the best experience of his life. His smile turns into a smirk. Maybe they can finish what they started. They fell asleep too soon, and have some very pleasurable business to attend to. He reaches out his left arm and hits the wall. Oh. The sheets are cool beside him. His smile fades. He doesn't want to open his eyes to confirm what he already knows. Was it really just a dream? Never in his life has a dream been so vivid. No other sex dream has ever come close. He can almost smell her strawberry scent in his nose. He's dreamt of her before, sure, but not with such clarity. Nightmares aren't so vivid. Not even the dreams he had of his mother in the weeks after her death, when he could feel her arms wrapping around him and hear her voice humming low in his ear, felt so real. He opens his eyes, squinting against the weak Washington light, and is greeted by a bare, empty room.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stefenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Monday

X-x-x-x-X

Bella stretches like a cat as she gradually comes awake. She luxuriously stretches her arms above her head, and rolls over onto the cool, empty side of her bed. She frowns. There is supposed to be a warm, soft body lying next to her, isn't there? What happened? She rubs her legs together and is surprised to find herself fully clothed. For some reason, the soft fabric feels constricting. Did Jacob somehow dress her while she was sleeping? She blinks her fuzzy eyes in confusion and turns toward her rocking chair. Oh, good. He's here. She smiles. His oversized body barely fits in the chair. Why is Jacob wearing a shirt? He was stark naked when she climbed into his bed the night before. Mmmmm. Jacob naked. What a sight. She looks back down at her pillow. Wait. She went to his bedroom last night, not hers. What is she doing here?

A musical chuckle startles her. It's the wrong voice. "Your dreams were, ahem, eventful last night."

She stiffens. What is Edward doing here? How can he sound so amused to find Jacob here in her room? She rolls back over to face the room and spies Edward sitting in the rocking chair. "Um, good morning?"

The smile he aims at her is a new one. It looks almost dangerous. "You know I love that that you talk in your sleep."

Oh God. It was all a dream. Jacob isn't here, but Edward has been here all night, and by the look on his face he was privy to quite a bit of her subconscious mind's activities. She is absolutely mortified. His eyes are sparkling. "Don't be embarrassed, love. It's normal and natural. The wedding is only a few weeks away, and I know you're thinking about us. I am too." His eyes darken and his voice drops in pitch, "I miss being able to dream the way you were last night. But soon enough, it won't matter. We can live those experiences with each other instead of just dreaming of them."

He obviously thinks she was dreaming of him. It's only slightly less mortifying, but she is very grateful that he can't see her thoughts. Not once has she dreamed about him in such clear detail. The dream is as precise as memory.

"I've never wished more that I could see into that mind of yours, Bella." She realizes he's gripping the arms of the rocking chair tightly, barely restraining himself from denting the wood. "I wanted so badly to see that dream. But it's probably best that I couldn't."

She laughs nervously. She can't think of a thing to say to this. They never talk about their sexuality in this direct way.

"You don't know the control I had to exert over myself last night, Bella. It was one of the most difficult experiences of my existence. It was the sweetest torture. I nearly fled from the room. I got as far as the tree outside the window, but the sound of your voice drew me back in." He is staring at her intently. He licks his lips. "You were absolutely enthralling, my love."

Suddenly he's gone, and the chair is rocking and empty. Charlie knocks on her door. "Are you up, Bells? I'm on my way to work. You're going to be late to Newton's if you don't get out of bed soon."

She coughs and clears her throat. "Thanks, Dad, I just woke up. See you for dinner?"

"Okay, kiddo, have a good day."

His footsteps recede, and Edward emerges from her closet. "You have me so distracted this morning, Bella. I didn't hear him coming until he was right outside the door." He flashes quickly to stand next to the bed and bends over her, pressing his lips firmly against hers. She shivers in response, and he smiles, mistaking it for pleasure. His lips are too hard. Too cold. She flashes back to her dream. _His hot mouth on her is pure pleasure. He pulls back just a little, and she is alarmed until she feels him move down to plunge his long tongue deep into her. _She flinches and imagines unyielding stone on her soft, warm core. It doesn't seem nearly as appealing as it used to, now that her body has a memory of something better.

She isn't responding to Edward's kiss. He pulls back and frowns. "What's wrong?"

_Everything. Nothing. _She is so confused. She smiles sheepishly. "I just need a human moment, Edward."

It's not entirely a lie, so he believes it without question. "Of course, how foolish of me. Like I said, you have me so distracted. I'm about to make you late for work, aren't I?" He pushes himself off her, and she feels an unfamiliar sense of relief. He moves to the window. "Go ahead and get ready, love. I'll just wait until your father is gone and I'll be going as well. I'll see you tonight?" She nods, and he leans forward to drop another cold kiss on her lips. She flees to the bathroom before he can give her another.

She shuts the door and leans her forehead against it. What's wrong with her? For nearly the entire duration of their relationship, she has been waiting for him to express this kind of desire. She should be taking advantage of it. She should be wrapping her hands into his tousled bronze hair and pulling him toward her. She should be indulging in the deep kisses he is usually too afraid to give her. She should be pushing his boundaries to see just how far he will go.

Instead, she is hiding in her bathroom remembering the burning touch of another man. A man she already rejected. A man whose lips have only actually touched hers twice. A man who is apparently haunting her dreams. _When Jacob finally moves, instead of reaching for her breasts, he pulls her up and toward him. She falls forward and locks her arms so as not to smother him with her chest. Although that is probably what he wants, because he reaches for her left nipple not with his fingers but with his tongue. He traces circles along her aureola with the tip, and laves the hardened peak with the flat expanse. It sends a deep ache between her legs and she moans deeply. He draws as much of her breast into his mouth as he is able, and he suckles lightly._ She flushes at the memory despite herself.

She shakes her head to clear it. She really is going to be late if she doesn't hurry. She turns the shower on and strips out of her pajamas, and brushes her teeth while she waits for the water to warm. She steps into the steamy shower and the heat transports her. _He has her lovely ass gripped in his large, hot hands. She is desperate. Wanting. But not knowing exactly what it is she wants. She is on the verge of begging when finally, finally, he reaches out his tongue to lave the entire length of her slit. The taste is pure sex, and his cock throbs in response. Now he wants more. He teases her with a few more light strokes of his tongue, not quite stroking along the nub, until she is whimpering with need. With a groan, he gives in and presses his tongue firmly against her clit, and she screams._

This is ridiculous. It was just a dream. She needs to get a hold of herself. She quickly finishes her morning routine and steps into the hallway wrapped only in a towel. She should have grabbed an outfit on her way to the bathroom. Will Edward still be in her room? She's not sure she wants to see him now in her state of undress. She pushes her bedroom door open cautiously and breathes a sigh of relief when she finds it empty.

She rushes off to work, pulling into a parking spot just in time to meet Mrs. Newton at the door of the store.

The day passes slowly. She alternates between boredom and anxiety. She isn't busy enough to keep her mind off the previous night. Not once has she had a dream with that level of detail. She is used to hazy dreams. Some elements of her dreams normally stand out, with vague connections between. Timelines skip, locations melt away, events shift and blur. Even her old nightmares when Edward was gone were never this sharp and focused. It felt so real. All her five senses were in overdrive. The sight of his rich, sweat dampened skin. The touch of his rough fingers sending electricity zinging up her spine. The heavy scent of musky sex surrounding them as they moved against one another. The sound of his rumbling moans from deep in his chest as she touched his shaft. The sharp, salty taste of his precum on her tongue.

How does her subconscious know how to supply such details? She is inexperienced, and normally her dreams reflect that. She has woken in the night slipping out of erotic dreams about Edward, but they always fade into a hazy sense of desire when she reaches a point in the dream with which she has no experience. They are rather like her real life in that way- just when things start to heat up, Edward always pulls away. He doesn't pull away in her dreams, but her mind, lacking any firsthand knowledge of the actual sensations of sex, supply only the vaguest of details when she dreams. And at night, lying in Edward's cool embrace, she has little privacy with which to indulge her fantasies. It normally leaves her aroused and frustrated, and unable to bring herself release.

That must be it. She has been sexually frustrated for the duration of their relationship. Now the wedding is only weeks away, and he has promised to finally make love to her. Now that the moment is close to arriving, she can't help but think about it, even when asleep. And if the man in her dream is the wrong one, it really should come as no surprise. After all, Jacob has never hidden his feelings from her. Has never hidden his desire. And she has felt so guilty for hurting him. So it makes perfect sense that her subconscious would cast him in the starring role. It's a combination of sexual frustration and guilt.

She feels better having come to this conclusion. Guilt she can live with. Guilt she can understand, even embrace. It is her love for Jacob Black that she can't accept.

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob has never before been grateful to be responsible for all the laundry in his house. Today, though, it's a blessing. Around the same time he realized that Bella had never come into his room the night before, he also realized he had had his first ever wet dream. His sheets are a mess. He feels completely ridiculous. This didn't even happen when he was first going through puberty. So on top of being in pain (he still winces every time he moves), he is deeply frustrated, generally humiliated, and of course heartbroken, and he can now add to the list annoyed and horny.

He sighs and strips his bed, picking up odd pieces of clothing off the floor on his way to the washing machine. He hears a knock at the front door, and Billy's voice in greeting, "Afternoon, dear. He's up and about now. Take a peek in the laundry room."

Leah Clearwater steps into the small room. She tips her head in greeting, and he does the same. She has been acting almost solicitous to him in the past few days. Apparently all it takes to get on Leah's good side is to save her life, or be related to her. The list of people she seems to like is short. It contains Jacob, her brother, and her mother. He figures he's probably being unfair to her. She would probably be doing well if she wasn't stuck here on the rez against her will, with only her pack brothers and their imprints for company.

"Did I miss anything at the pack meeting?"

"Yeah. Everyone says 'hi'. Quil wanted to come over last night to entertain you with a Girls Gone Wild video, but I stopped him. You can correct me if I was wrong, but I figured that even if you weren't resting up like you're supposed to be doing, watching lame soft core porn with one of your closest male friends wasn't high on the list of things you wanted to be doing." She passes Jacob the bottle of detergent on the shelf behind her.

"Thanks. You were right." It was a good thing too, considering the dream he would probably have interrupted. _The last thing I needed was for anyone to bust in on me while I was lying unconscious on my bed with a raging boner._ "Any updates I should know about?" He finishes putting the load of laundry in, and they move into the kitchen.

"Unfortunately, yes. You know how we noticed some residual vamp trails around the battle site? Well, it turns out that they aren't all from those Italian bloodsuckers or the Cullens cleaning up the area. There's one scent in particular that we keep running across, and Dr. Fang told Sam he's sure it belongs to none of them. It's pretty fresh."

"Shit. I was really hoping we could catch a break for once. Do you want something to drink, by the way?"

Leah nods. "Sure, thanks. It gets worse. The trail passes by the Swan place. I don't know what it is about that girl, Jake, but she's gotta be some kind of bloodsucker catnip." She stops and rolls her eyes. "I really, really don't get what it is about that girl."

Jacob realizes that he's about to spill the orange juice he's holding, he's started shaking so hard. Leah puts her hand out to take the juice away before it all ends up on the floor. "It's okay, Jake, we're keeping a close eye on her. Since no one really knows what's going on yet, Sam and Dr. Fang decided to keep playing fast and loose with the boundary line. They're still not allowed on our land, but we can patrol anywhere we need to."

"I'll get back on the rotation today."

"You know you're not supposed to do that yet. You'll be no good to her or to us limping around on a bunch of broken bones. Although I'd pay good money to get one of those giant cones around your wolf's head," she says with a grin.

Her attempt at levity falls on deaf ears. "Look, Jake, I don't understand her in the least. I pretty much despise her, as a matter of fact. And the guys aren't exactly thrilled with her, either. But none of us are going to let anything happen to her, or any other human being. We're running extra patrols, and we're practically sitting on her 24/7."

"And if she asks for something to happen to her?" Jacob asks, an agonized expression on his face.

Leah knows exactly to what he is referring. It's his worst nightmare: her plans to be turned into one of them, and it's about to come true. "You mean her suicide pact? Our response is still a matter of debate."

Suddenly, Jacob is screaming and running out the back door. "What the fuck! She's supposed to be..." He's phased before he finishes his sentence, his tattered clothes dropping to the ground. Leah sprints after him, ruining one of her last remaining sundresses in her haste to phase and follow Jacob into the woods. He's not easy to catch up with, even though she's incredibly fast and he is still injured. As she enters the pack mind, she can feel him pushing through the pain of his newly re-injured body.

_What the hell are you doing?_

_I saw her! I saw that red-headed leech. I thought she was dead! _

More voices add to the confusion. Quil and Brady are already on patrol. _Jake? What the fuck is going on? You're not supposed to be phasing yet._

_How did you let her get by you? _Jacob rages, racing full tilt toward Bella's home. _Did she come from the ocean?_

_Who, man? What the hell are you talking about?_

_The crazy red-headed bitch. The one I thought Edward and Seth ripped to shreds last week! I saw her in woods behind my house. I was looking out the window, and there she was between those two giant fir trees._ He flashes them all the memory of the crazy vampire glaring at him from the treeline.

Quil turns back to the spot Jacob referred to. _Here? This is where you saw her?_

_Yeah, right there. Where the fuck did she go? _Brady is circling the Black house while Jacob and Leah race to Forks.

Quil sniffs carefully. _Man, there's no trace of a scent. You're not following a trail, are you?_

_No, I don't smell anything. But I have to make sure Bella is safe. I have to make sure she's okay. _

Leah is running alongside him. _I don't smell anything either, Jake. And I didn't see anything. _

_You had your back turned to her when I spotted her. Guys, check the trees. Maybe that's why we can't pick up on a trail. _Quil obliges, exploring carefully.

Jacob and Leah approach Forks. Jacob is limping badly now, ignoring the tearing pain along his fracture lines, some of which have now split back open again. They reach the Swan residence. Leah splits off to circle the house and search for any fresh trails. He hears Brady running a wide circle around his house, and Quil still searching the trees carefully, finding nothing. He pads silently toward the backyard and stops just shy of the clearing.

She's here. She's alive. She's warm and breathing. He can see her through the kitchen window. She has a dangerously sharp looking cleaver in her right hand, and she's chopping vegetables. He nearly collapses in relief when he realizes that she is safe, and none of the wolves have found a fresh trail nearby. Leah approaches him.

_The old trail back that way is the same one we ran across earlier. Nothing new._

Quil and Brady chime in. _We've searched the woods, Jake. No sign of a leech. _

_I don't know what's going on, guys. I know what I saw._

_But she's dead, Jake. Shredded and burned. Maybe it was another leech that just looked like her? Escaped at the top of the trees, so we can't tell? _

He flashes the image to them again, of Victoria behind his all agree that it does look just like her.

_Go home, Jake. _Leah nudges his flank with her nose. _You've just re-broken a couple of those nasty fractures. We can take it from here. Unless you want to go see her?_

_No, I can see her from here. She's okay. I don't need to talk to her. There's nothing left to say._

_Do you need help getting home?_

Jake shakes his head._ Brady, Quil, you guys didn't check along the shoreline, did you? Do that before it gets too late. The tide could wash away any fresh tracks._ He keeps his thoughts carefully neutral as he limps home.

Leah waits until Jacob has phased out before calling out to Quil. _Can you bring me some clothes? There should be something you can take off the line behind the house. _Quil shows up several minutes later. She takes the dress in her mouth and steps behind a line of trees. They both phase back to human to talk privately.

"Thanks for the clothes. What do you think that was all about?"

"Not a clue. I'd say Jake was just high on painkillers, but what he showed us in his mind looked pretty clear. It did look just like that crazy bitch vamp from last week."

"You're right. It did. I don't know if it has anything to do with the other trails we found around here. Have you sniffed them out yourself?"

"No, I didn't bother. My patrols have all been back home, not around Forks."

"Here, then. Come this way. Maybe you can find something I didn't notice." Leah leads him deeper into the woods to the stale smelling trail that passes by Bella's home.

"Yeah, this isn't exactly fresh, but it's not old enough to be from before the big battle. One of them obviously did escape. I'm going to follow it out a bit. I know you did that already, but it can't hurt to double check, right?"

"Uh huh, it's a good idea. I'm going to stay here and keep an eye on the house. I'll catch up with you later, Quil? At the end of the shift?"

He nods as he lopes off into the forest. Leah heads back to the Swan house. She only pauses for a minute before making up her mind.

Bella is glad to be home. Mrs. Newton could tell that something was off, but was too polite to ask. Still, Bella felt scrutinized, and it's nice to have some time to herself. She has a couple hours of solitude before Charlie gets home for dinner, and a couple more before Edward will sneak back into her bedroom. She's decided to put a little more care into dinner tonight. She can use the distraction of extra work. A stir fry means lots of extra chopping, thinly slicing the chicken and cutting lots of vegetables into small, bite sized pieces. Even better, it's a healthy meal that Charlie genuinely enjoys. Now she just has to get him to eat brown rice instead of white. Ever since Harry Clearwater died of a heart attack, Bella has been a bit paranoid about Charlie's poor dietary choices.

She has just finished slicing the carrots when a knock at the back door startles her. She flinches at the sound, accidentally flinging the cleaver up into the air. She feels herself pulled abruptly backward by a tight, warm grip as the cleaver flips over mid-air and lands with a thunk, sticking straight up out of the chopping block.

"Careful, there. Unless you plan to make your blood part of the sauce." Leah lets go of her arms.

"Um, thanks?" She mumbles, stupidly.

"That trick with the knife would have been kind of cool if it had been deliberate, and if you hadn't nearly impaled your own hand with it." Leah is smirking and leaning against her kitchen wall. It reminds her of Jacob.

"Well, you know, clumsy me." She nods, not knowing what else to do, so she pulls the knife out of the wood and pulls out celery to slice.

"Making a stir fry?"

Why is Leah here? It can't possibly be to grill her about her dinner plans. It can't possibly be for anything good. She rambles nervously, "Charlie likes stir fry. I want him to eat better, you know? And this is one of the only ways he eats his vegetables without pouting like a child. And I don't have to use much oil, so that's good. He usually says that poultry is for hippies, and beef is for real men, but I just won't make him a steak every day. It's not good for him." The moment her babbling words leave her mouth, she realizes what a mistake she's just made, "The way he eats on his own, he's going to give himself a coronary. I've got to take care of him since he's not going to take care of himself."

Leah narrows her eyes at Bella. She didn't come here to argue, but Bella is so dense and so infuriating. Did she really just go there? She snarls, "You think that feeding him healthy food for two months is going to make up for what you're about to do to him? Take care of him? What the hell is the point of taking care of him for two more months, and then abandoning him for all of eternity? You're worried about his heart? Are you kidding me? You're going to fucking break it when you walk away and never come back, and you're worried about his heart?"

She's shaking now, and Bella backs away. It is taking everything Leah has not to phase in the middle of Charlie Swan's kitchen. Leah grits her teeth. "I'm not here to fucking argue with you. You're not worth the extra breath."

"Why are you here?" Bella asks in a small voice.

"The rogue vampire. I need to know what you know."

Bella looks at her blankly. "Rogue vampire?"

This produces a dark laugh. "Oh, of course he didn't tell you. Your loving fiance hasn't mentioned that one of the leeches escaped from the newborn battle last week?"

Bella shakes her head. "I don't know about any of that," she whispers.

Leah smirks at her again. "He doesn't tell you much, does he? Enjoying blissful ignorance, huh? Love isn't just blind, is it? It's blind and stupid."

"What are you talking about? I thought they were all dead."

"At least one got away. There have been some trails by your house. Nothing too fresh, but new since the battle."

Bella sways on her feet, lightheaded all of a sudden. Edward said nothing about this, nor did any of the other Cullens.

Acid drips from Leah's tongue, "Well, ask your precious bloodsucker the next time you see him. And try not to get yourself killed, okay? I'd hate for you to get murdered before you have a chance to commit suicide." And she is gone.

What the hell was that all about? Edward said that the Volturi destroyed the only newborn who survived the battle. He hadn't told her anything about fresh trails or a remaining threat. Could it be that he doesn't know? It seems unlikely. Even if no one had told him anything, he can read the minds of his entire family and the wolfpack. She sighs in frustration as she finishes chopping the vegetables. She will ask him about it tonight, and she already know what he is going to say. She is sure he has her best interest in mind, but it doesn't make her any less frustrated.

She spends the next few hours swinging between annoyance, fear, and guilt. Leah's words about breaking Charlie's heart are starting to get to her. She has tried not to think too hard about Charlie. She has grown accustomed to cooking for him. He is always so appreciative. Their dinners are spent in a comfortable silence, neither of them pushing too hard into the other's personal space. It makes it simultaneously easier and harder to walk away from her father. Life, for him, will go on much as it always had. They have spent most of the last several years apart from one another, and he has done fine for himself. He will do fine again once she is gone, despite how much he has come to enjoy her presence. It isn't hard to justify leaving. After all, if her life had taken a more mundane path, she would still be leaving in a few months. She would just be going away to college.

She has done a pretty good job avoiding thoughts beyond the next couple years. He will miss her when she doesn't come home for the holidays, but he must have expected to split his already limited time with her between himself and Renee. And maybe after the first few years, her newborn thirst will be controlled, and she can come back and see him. She will at least be able to talk to him on the phone. It's not like she'll actually be dead.

Moreover, it's not like she really has a choice in the matter. As Edward told Jacob, being apart nearly killed both of them. She can't live without him; he can't live without her. It's as simple as that. So there are only two options. Be with him as a human, or be with him as a vampire. The former option is simply absurd. In a few short years, people will wonder about them as a couple. She'll be labelled a cougar. A few more years beyond that, and people will think she's his mother. Then his grandmother. Then her mortality will catch up with her, and she knows that he'll end his own life rather than live without her. It's ridiculous and untenable. It's no option at all. Which leaves only one choice.

Just as she has finished cooking the rice, she hears Charlie's cruiser pull up the drive. He greets her, and she thinks he probably had a long day at work from the look on his face. "Hey, Bells, smells great in here. Man, I'm gonna miss your cooking. I think the diner will be getting their number one customer back soon."

She feels a wave of guilt wash over her. "I hope you like it. Long day?" She sets a plate down in front of him.

He picks up his fork. "We got the strangest report today. A swimmer got attacked in the water. That's a new one around here. I thought we had our wild animal quota filled by those bear attacks."

"Was there a shark or something?"

"Doesn't sound like it. Odd story. This guy apparently goes swimming just about every day, apparently he's very strong in the water. He was finishing up his usual hour down by First Beach when he felt something drag him down. Says something cold and hard wrapped around his leg. Nearly drowned." He digs into his meal and chews.

"How did he get away?"

"Not really sure. Apparently one of the Quileute kids saw him struggling and dove into the water to get him out. Brady Fuller. You ever met him?"

"I've seen him at some of the bonfires," she nods, waiting for him to continue.

"So Brady happened to be on the beach, saw him thrashing in the water, and didn't hesitate to run on in and help the guy. It sounds like by the time Brady got to him, whatever had grabbed his leg was probably gone. Got scared away maybe? But he was really struggling by then, had inhaled a lot of seawater and was only half conscious. Brady pulled him to shore, and he coughed up all the water. Somebody had called 911 by then, so that's how I got involved. Who knows what kind of animal it was. I guess I've heard octopi can be sort of aggressive, but I've never heard of one attacking a human swimming along the surface by the beach. Anyway, stay out of the water for a bit, okay?"

She shakes her head. "I've got no plans to go to the Beach anytime soon, Dad."

"You should pay Jake another visit. He's still laid up at home, isn't he? I'll bet he'd love to see you."

"I'm not so sure." The wave of guilt she felt earlier has been overtaken by a wave of fear, but another wave of guilt is coming on.

Charlie frowns again. She knows he wants to say more, but neither of them is any good at that kind of conversation. Not for the first time, she is thankful for it. She has lost her appetite and picks at the rest of her meal, worrying quietly. The thing in the water was no octopus. She knows exactly what it was. The pack is going to have to figure out how to phase into sharks now. She has the ridiculous thought that Jake and Seth would made great dolphins. Leah could be a barracuda.

The rest of dinner is efficient and quiet until Charlie plops himself in front of the Mariner's game, and Bella heads up to her room to find Edward standing by the window.

"Good evening, my love." His pupils are back to their usual golden color. The lustful black dilation of his pupils is gone. He steps forward to hug her, but she stops him with a hand.

"What's going on, Edward?"

He looks genuinely puzzled. "Regarding...?"

"The vampire that got away. The one from the newborn battle."

He looks down at his feet. "Ah, I was hoping to spare you the worry, darling."

She is frustrated and steps back, "Too late. Leah came by today and asked me what I knew. She said the trail leads by the house."

"It hasn't been by for several days, love. I don't think it's still around."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Her fists are clenched, and she has to actively think to release them.

"Like I said, I was hoping to spare you the worry. And it hasn't been here in days. We're keeping a close eye on you and Charlie, Bella, and so are the wolves. You know that none of us will let anything happen to you."

It is frustrating and endearing all at once, his desire to protect her from worry. She knows he means well. Edward always means well.

"Then you'd better talk to the pack, Edward. I don't know what happened today, but I'm pretty sure Leah Clearwater didn't just feel like dropping by for a social visit."

He steps toward her and reaches out a cool hand for one of her warm ones. He squeezes gently. "You're right, my dear. You have my apologies. Am I forgiven?" He flashes her his charming, crooked smile.

"Maybe." _Yes._ She is learning she is powerless against his hold on her. She will forgive him anything, and this is such a small thing to forgive. "But this is a newborn who was created for the sole purpose of destroying me, correct?"

His face clouds over. He nods.

"So even though its creator is dead, the only thing it knows is that it's supposed to kill me?"

"I won't let that happen to you, Bella. You know that. I'll always protect you." He pulls her in with a fierce grip. His voice is hard.

"I know, Edward. I trust you." _I have no other choice._ "Just keep me updated, okay?" She remembers the mild sense of humiliation she felt when Leah realized she was entirely in the dark. She shouldn't be the last to know, not about this.

He releases his grip on her. "You should get some rest, my love. I'll be here all night to watch over you. I won't let anything happen."

She nods and turns to ready herself for sleep. He tucks her in, surrounding her with blankets to ward off the chill emanating from his hard form. He gracefully lowers himself down next to her and wraps a protective arm around her. She turns into the crook of his arm and is asleep before she realizes it. Her last conscious thought is to wonder if it would be more comfortable to lie on something softer.


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: Bella dreams of Jacob after she breaks his heart following the newborn battle.

Rating: MA for lemons.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stefenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Monday night

_He doesn't want to wait tonight. He's too impatient to see if she will show up again, so he finds himself climbing the tree outside her window. He's lucky for once. The window is open, and she is alone, deeply asleep. He grins lasciviously as he drops silently into her room. When he woke the night before, she was staring hungrily at him, tracing her fingers across his skin. Now it's his turn to stare. He tried hard to memorize every inch of her skin last night, but he didn't get to explore. Her body is a rich, fertile land, and he wants to intimately acquaint himself with every inch of her._

_He quietly closes the window behind him. He doesn't want her to get cold. He silently crosses the room, avoiding loose and squeaky floorboards, to flip the lock on her door. He wants no interruptions tonight. He kneels by the bed. The night is uncommonly clear, a full moon sending a glow through the window, illuminating her pale skin. She is lovely. Peaceful. He almost doesn't want to disturb her rest. But he knows she won't mind. _

_She's wrapped in a ridiculous number of blankets to ward off the cold from her open window. It's summer; why so many covers? She doesn't need those anymore. He'll keep her warm. She's lying on her stomach, arms wrapped around her pillow, face turned toward the window. Her rich, chestnut hair is blocking his view of her face, so he gently brushes it away. She doesn't stir._

_He pulls the heavy comforter down and away, revealing another thin blanket underneath. He tugs that one down as well. There's still a sheet. It's like he's unwrapping the best gift he's ever gotten. He removes the sheet as well, and then there's just her. He's getting hard just looking at her back rise and fall. She's wearing a simple white tank top and thin, light blue boyshorts. Totally unpretentious. Somehow just as sexy as expensive lingerie. _

_He could watch her all night long, enthralled by the simple movement of her breathing, listening to her occasional deep sighs. If she gets her way, the number of breaths she has left is severely limited. If he gets his way, she'll have a few billion more sweet breaths._

_He places a warm hand on her calf. He loves her legs. Long and slender all the way up. She's not a skirt or dress sort of girl, but the summertime is too warm for jeans, even this far north, so she lives in shorts a lot of the time. He secretly loves to walk behind her so he can stare at her legs and her ass as she walks, a sexy little sway to her hips. It's totally unconscious, which makes it even more alluring. She is the definition of effortless beauty. There is no false advertising here. She doesn't cover herself with unnecessary makeup, heavy perfume, or fancy clothes. She is just naturally lovely. Just the way he likes it._

_Ever since he shot up nearly a foot and gained 50 pounds of muscle, Jacob has noticed girls noticing him (not to mention the women, and a few men). He's not interested in girls who paid him no mind only months before, who had known him most of his life and were entirely indifferent to his presence, who now flirt shamelessly. But Bella continues to treat him exactly as she always has, even if he occasionally catches her gazing at him out if the corner of his eye. If he ever teases her about it, she blushes and vehemently denies. She genuinely doesn't seem to realize that he does have an effect on her even when it's plainly obvious to everyone else that he does. But now he has the chance to prove it to her. He plans on taking every opportunity that arises._

_He lightly runs his fingers up the length of her legs, stopping only when he gets to the hem of her sleep shorts, and runs them back down. It produces a sIight shiver, but doesn't wake her up. He moves down to massage the soles of her feet. She never complains, but he knows that by the end of a shift at Newton's, they are usually aching. She has very sensitive feet, and moans a little in her sleep. Still she doesn't wake. _

_Her skin is so soft. He can't resist, so he plants light kisses on the sole of each foot and up the back of each leg. He notes which spots produce unconscious squirming for later. _

_She wakes to the delicious sensation of his hot tongue tracing circles along the back of her left knee. Who knew that would be an erogenous zone? Only Jacob could know. He's tickled her there before. No one else has touched that spot in years. Certainly not Edward. She pushes thoughts of Edward far from her mind. He's not here. She hopes he stays gone, wherever he is._

_She hears herself moaning, and turns her head to speak. It comes out rough and sultry since she's still half asleep. "You're here. I was afraid you wouldn't come."_

_She feels his lips smile against her skin, "You know I can't stay away from you."_

"_Don't stop what you're doing. It feels so good."_

_He chuckles, and the puffs of his breath leave tingling in their wake. He moves slowly up the backs of her thighs, alternating between kisses, licks, and gentle nips with his teeth, simultaneously running his fingers behind his lips. He learns that the area just below her ass is especially sensitive, and he can easily tickle her if he moves the wrong way. Or perhaps it's the right way. He keeps running into the hem of her shorts. "These are in my way," he growls._

_She lifts her head off the pillow. "So take them off." _

_He pulls away, and she lifts her hips to assist his efforts, but he doesn't move back toward her. She turns, and he's kneeling on the end of the bed, hands on his hips, looking like sex personified. She gawks at him rather blatantly. He's dressed in his usual denim shorts, and nothing else. She peripherally takes in his well defined abs and sculpted biceps, but can't help but zero in on his cock. He's already erect, and she hasn't even touched him. He's so big that he doesn't fit into his shorts. She can see the thick head of his cock peeking out from the denim. She realizes she's almost drooling, and gulps loudly. "That looks uncomfortable."_

_He's staring at her intently, and smirks. "Wanna help me with it then?" His voice is low and husky. His voice often has the same timbre when he first wakes. She knows she's going to get aroused whenever she wakes him up from a deep sleep and hears that rough tone in his voice. _

_She nods, and can't think of anything to say, so she just reaches for the fastening of his shorts. She can't help but brush up against his thickness with the backs of her fingers as she frees the button, and she lowers the zipper with a shaking hand. His skin is so hot. As usual, he's wearing no underwear and springs free. She reaches for him with her small hand, but he grabs it before she can properly take hold of him. He shakes his head and slides off the end of the bed, standing so he can lower his shorts. The head of his cock is weeping, and she wants to taste him again. _

_He stops her before she can start to stroke him. "Nuh uh, not yet." He's afraid that once she gets her hot little hands on him, it'll be all over, and he wants to take his time tonight. He pushes her arms back down toward her body, turns her to her original position on her stomach. She's confused until she feels him nudging at the small of her back. He's pushing her thin shirt upward with his nose, exposing her skin just a little bit at a time. He drags his plump bottom lip up her spine, making her gasp. He runs his tongue along her flanks, and produces squirming moans. He has her shirt bunched up under her shoulderblades, and finally decides it's just in his way. She lifts up just high enough that he can tug it off, and he pushes her prone again. He discovers that kissing between her shoulderblades makes her hum, and massaging her shoulders makes her sigh._

_He brushes her thick hair to the side, exposing her neck. He barely brushes his lips back and forth where her neck meets her shoulder, and hears her start to pant. He extends his warm tongue to caress the same spot, and experiments with different levels of pressure until he finds the throaty moan that he loves. He shifts to kiss just behind her ear. Her reaction is instantaneous and strong. She's been turned on since he put his hands on her, before she even awakened. But when he kisses the spot behind her ear, she instantly gets wet. The scent drives him wild, and as he lavishes attention on her with his tongue and lips, he lowers his body to press against her fully. _

_She loves the weight of him pressing her into the mattress. She relishes the sensation of his hot length pressing into her thigh, leaving his precum to mingle with the liquid pooling between her legs. He's so close to where she wants him to be. She squirms helplessly in a vain attempt to shift him just a little higher, just a little deeper in between her legs. She realizes she's whimpering rather pathetically. She's in no position to get him to move, and her shorts are still in the way._

_"Patience, honey. We'll get there, I promise," he chuckles warmly, whispering in her ear, "There's so much more of you that I want to explore."_

_He pulls away, leaving a chill behind on her skin, now shimmering with a thin sheen of sweat. He rolls her onto her back. "We're not even halfway there."_

_She looks into his eyes for the first time tonight. Before, she was too distracted by the sight of his cock. He is fixated on her with an expression that is equal parts lust and love. How can he be so tender, yet so powerful, all at the same time? She reaches out for him, and he can't resist falling into her outstretched arms. She pulls him in to hold him, and he slides his arms underneath her so he can give her a full-on signature Jake Black bear hug. Minus the spinning her off her feet, that is, and minus the clothes. They are still for several long moments. That is, until she wraps her long legs around him to complete the hug, and in so doing tilts her center into direct contact with his skin. She gasps and arches, and does it again. It's such a delicious feeling, her core sliding against his taut skin. _

_He pulls back again and grins. "Hey now, I thought I told you I'm not done exploring. I want to know all of you, baby." Oh. She wants to hear him call her baby again. She wants to hear what the word sounds like when he's laughing, when he's whispering softly into her ear, and most especially, when he's moaning in ecstasy buried deep inside her. She just wants him, and she wants him now. But he shifts to hold her hips still._

_She pouts a little, and in response he runs his thumb along her bottom lip. "Mmmmm. So damn soft. I love your mouth, baby." A thrill runs through her again at the endearment. He leans forward to press his lips against hers, and she immediately parts them. If he won't slip his cock into her the way she wants, she can at least try to take charge of this kiss. She runs the tip of her tongue along his upper lip, and then his lower. He hums, and she smiles. Now she's the one drawing wonderful sounds from him. She grins and bites his lower lip gently, and he groans. She deepens the kiss until they're both panting, locked together._

_He reluctantly pulls back again. "You're trying to distract me. I have a plan, honey, and I have every intention of following through." _

_She shifts her hips against him again, and moans in protest, "Please, I want you."_

"_Me too, baby, so bad. And you've got me. I promise." She has more than just his body, and they both know it._

_He scoots up a bit to place butterfly kisses along her hairline, down her nose, and across her eyelids. It's tender and sensual all at once. He traces a path down her jaw and neck, paying special attention to her pulse point. He stops to relish the beating of her heart beneath his lips, and reaches out to touch the spot with his tongue. It sends more shivers down her spine, so he lavishes the area with attention. Eventually he trails along each collarbone, finding them sensitive as well. He files the information away for later, when he has the opportunity to just tickle her. _

_He kisses a path down her left arm, stopping to nuzzle the inside of her elbow, barely even touching, and discovers another sensitive spot. He kisses the tip of each finger in turn, and then stretches to give the same treatment to the other arm. By the time he's done, her whole body is tingling. _

_He turns to rest his cheek between her breasts. "Aahhh. Maybe I'll just stop and take a nap here. It's so comfortable." _

"_Don't you dare stop now," she whines. She runs her fingers through his thick hair, tugging lightly. He lifts his head up, and traces back and forth just beneath her collarbones with his fingers. He moves slowly down until he is circling around her nipples, never quite touching them, sending her into a frenzy. She's squirming around frantically, and dripping with want. "Please... please," she cries._

"_I will, honey, I will," he whispers against her skin. He's brushing his lips against the underside of her breast, oh so lightly. Her skin is ablaze with heat. He has her hips gripped in his strong, hot hands, holding her still as he places soft, open mouthed kisses all over her belly. He stops to trace his tongue along the edges of her bellybutton, and then dips the tongue inside. It sends a jolt straight to her center, and she rocks upward against him._

_He scoots down further to the edge of her short, and glances up at her wickedly. "I want what's under here," he growls. _

"_It's yours, I'm yours. Just... please!" It's one of his favorite fantasies come to life. Bella writhing and begging beneath him. He runs his nose along the top edge of her shorts and inhales deeply. "The way you smell, baby, I can't get enough." And he grips the fabric in his teeth, and pulls down, working her shorts all the way down her legs and off. He tosses them aside. _

_As he crawls back on top of her, he whispers, "You should never wear clothes, ever again. I want to lock you up here with only me to keep you warm."_

_She laughs out some of her built up tension, relaxing slightly until his hot form lands on top of her, and he draws her right nipple deep into his mouth. She wails. Electricity is shooting straight down to her groin. He's running the tips of his fingers lightly along the top of her left thigh as he works her breast with his mouth. He's sucklng deeply while he works his way closer to her center. He switches the movement of his tongue to quickly flick back and forth over her stiff peak as his fingers barely touch her lips below. _

_She can't take much more of this teasing. She needs more. She knows he does too, since she can feel his cock weeping and throbbing against her leg. But he seems to be ignoring his own needs in favor of torturing her. He's just barely touching her swollen, aching lips, but she's so wet now that his fingers are covered in her essence. He rises up, letting go of her breast, to lick her flavor from his fingers. He actually moans out loud. "You taste amazing, baby."_

_He lowers his head to her other breast, leaning over and shifting his lower body so it's no longer in direct contact with her legs. It's almost too much for him. He can hardly keep himself from humping her thigh. The new angle affords his fingers easy access to her center, and he finally, finally, dips a finger inside her. _

_Now she's continuously mewling and whimpering. She's totally keyed up from his endless teasing, so it only takes a few shallow strokes of one finger, and she's coming. The dual pleasures of his tongue on her breast and his finger in her cunt have her shaking with pleasure. She rides the wave, but he doesn't really let her come down from it. Just as the tension in her belly is starting to unwind, he adds a second finger, thrusts deeply with his hand, and presses his thumb against her clit. She's coming apart again, this orgasm stronger than the last. She wails and moans and thrashes under him. _

_He releases her breast from his lips and leans back so he can watch her come. Her head is thrown back, her mouth open in a continuous, keening wail, her back arched. Her breasts are jiggling with the spasms wracking her body. He shifts his gaze down to where his hand disappears into her body. She's tight. So tight. He wants to add a third, thick digit, to prepare her little body for his even larger cock. But she's just started to wince a little. It's too much right now, so he releases his thumb from her clitoris, and she relaxes back into the bed. _

_She opens her eyes and looks at him in a daze as he continues to slowly pump two fingers in and out, keeping her on the edge. She's able to form coherent words again. "So, so good. Don't stop, please don't stop." _

_He leans forward to kiss her deeply until she starts to squirm against him again. "I want you to come one more time, honey, before I take you with my cock. And then I want you to come all around me, okay?"_

_She nods frantically. She can't think of any verbal response. She just knows she wants whatever he has to offer. His dirty talk has turned her on even more, if that's possible. The idle thought occurs to her that if they ever have to spend any significant time apart, she's going to lock herself in a soundproof room and get Jacob to have phone sex with her. It will be totally embarrassing and completely worth it._

_He slides down to settle between her legs. He shifts so that her legs rest on his shoulders. He still has two fingers buried deep inside her. She wants to watch what he's doing, but all the teasing and her subsequent orgasms have drained her of energy. She can't hold her head up long enough to see, so she closes her eyes and gives in to the wonderful sensations he's giving her. _

"_I'm going to get you ready for me, honey. Is that okay?"_

_All she can manage is an incoherent, "MmmmHmmmmm," followed by an extended, "Ohhhhhhhhh," when he strokes his hot, flat tongue against her clitoris. He starts to pump his fingers in rhythm with the stroking of his tongue, and she's in climbing again. She's bucking against his face and soaking his hand, and he's so damn happy. He smiles as he flicks his tongue rapidly against her swollen nub. He feels like a god. He can't wait to be inside her fully, but he really wants her to come one more time. He dedicates himself to the task, sucking her clit between his lips while still swirling his tongue against the tip. At the same time, he adds a third finger (fuck, she's so tight, he can barely work it in) and curls them all, remembering how it made her lose her mind the night before. He does it once, twice, a third time, and she's wailing, her walls clenching around his fingers, impossibly tight. It's the longest, hardest one yet. _

Abruptly, Bella wakes in the throes of a strong orgasm, crying out, pulled violently from Jacob to feel a cold hand clamped over her mouth, a hard body lying heavy on her form. What the hell is going on? Where did Jacob go? A freezing hand on her face is making it hard to breathe, and instead of a hot tongue and warm hand between her legs, Edward is crushing her into the bed, lying fully on top of her in a way he has never done before.

"Shhhhh, Bella. You're waking up your father. You have to be quiet," Edward hisses.

She tries to calm herself. It's hard to get air in with his hand clamped over her mouth. He clearly doesn't realize he's blocking her nose as well. She can feel his arousal pressing into her thigh. She's shocked on every level. He's never allowed himself this close to her, never allowed her to feel the physical evidence of his desire for her. His whole body is rigid, and he's staring at the door.

She starts to struggle beneath him. She needs him to lighten his grip so she can breathe. As she squirms beneath him, he presses his crotch more firmly into her thigh, looking pained and aroused. He suddenly releases her and disappears out the window. There's a knock at the door. "Bells, are you okay in there?"

She gulps in a shaky breath of air. Her voice cracks, "Yeah dad, I just had a crazy nightmare. Sorry to wake you."

He opens the door a crack. "Don't apologize. Um, can I get you something? A glass of water? Maybe some tea so you can fall back to sleep?"

She accepts a glass of water. She knows Edward won't be back while Charlie is up and about. She needs the extra time to get herself under control. She slows her breathing as she sips her water, and wonders how Jacob is doing across town.

She doesn't realize that he has just slammed awake as well, sitting straight up in bed and reaching out for a warm, soft body that isn't there.


	4. Chapter 4

Rating: MA for lemons.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stefenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Tuesday morning

Jacob shoots up suddenly out of bed. He's clawing out at thin air. He's panting. He's disoriented. His erection puts normal morning wood to shame. He can still taste Bella on his lips. Feel her wet heat clenching around his fingers. He wants to go back. He's tempted to run across town, crawl up her window, and pin her down to finish what they started. His body aches to press against hers.

Instead he settles for trying to determine what woke him from his dream. He listens carefully. Billy is still asleep; he can hear steady breathing from his father's bedroom. No wolves howl outside. He carefully sniffs the air. There's no trace of burning, oversweet decay and bleach in his nose. The phone is silent. So basically, nothing at all woke him up.

He sighs heavily. At least this time he didn't come all over his own bedsheets. It spares him the extra chore of doing a load of laundry, anyway, and the embarrassment of Billy noticing him washing his sheets two days in a row. Billy's not stupid. He'd know exactly why his hormonal, teenaged son would wash his bedding again, and it's not due to some newfound dedication to cleanliness. He lies still and tries to will his erection away. He tries to focus on the pain of his injuries to make his arousal fade. It doesn't work. He wants to pick up his dream right where it left off. He was just getting to the good part. She was coming, again, with overwhelming force. He was going to give her a few minutes to recover, and then he was going to finally, finally, slide his cock in. All the way.

Okay, this isn't helping at all. He gives up and heads for the shower. There's only one way to get rid of his erection. He stands under the hot spray and allows the water to relax his overtaxed muscles. He braces himself against the tile with his left hand, and takes himself in hand with his right. He loses himself in the memory of the night before. He pictures himself tracing her most sensitive spots. His tongue swirling on the backs of her knees, tracing along her flanks. He grips himself hard. He groans aloud, thinking of the soft skin where her neck meets her shoulder, and that spot behind her ear. He pumps his shaft, pausing to smooth his precum over his sensitive head. He remembers flipping her over and teasing along her chest and arms, finally taking her nipple into his mouth and sliding his fingers into her body. His balls tighten against him, and he reaches down with his other hand to fondle them. Her cries of pleasure ring in his memory, and that's it. He's coming hard, hot jets emptying uselessly down the drain.

Later in the morning, he makes his way to Sam's house for another pack meeting. Emily greets him at the door with a warm smile, a soft hug, and two huge blueberry muffins. He's the last one there. Everyone has arrived except Embry, who is currently running patrol. Their voices are low and concerned.

"It only came up the shore a few feet. Like it basically stepped out, looked around, and decided to head directly back into the water," Brady is explaining.

Quil chimes in, "We checked absolutely everywhere. The only other trails we found were all old and stale."

Sam questions, "What about the trees? We've lost them up there before."

"Dude, we really looked everywhere. Embry and Collin came to help out, and we must have climbed, like, two hundred trees yesterday. No fresh trails except the one on the shore."

"Anybody hear how that guy is doing? The one you pulled out of the water?" asks Paul.

Sam nods. "Chief Swan said he's fine. Didn't even have to stay the night at the hospital. He doesn't know anything useful, apparently, which is probably a good thing for his sake." He turns to Brady. "Good job, man. That guy's alive because of you."

Brady ducks his head. He's still just a kid, really, despite the crazy turn his life has recently taken. He would probably be blushing if his skin was light enough to show it, "I don't think I actually did anything, though. It's not like I dove into the water and wrestled the vampire away."

Jared adds, "You scared it away, Brady, and so you saved that guy's life. May as well take credit where it's due."

Jacob can tell that Brady is still embarrassed, so he switches the subject. "So who do we think it was? I know what I saw yesterday, and I also know that the bitch is already dead. Anybody have any ideas?"

Seth sticks his hand up like he's in school. "After everything calmed down, I went down to the beach. The scent definitely doesn't belong to the vampire I helped tear apart last week. It's something different, but it did seem familiar."

Sam nods. "There were so many leeches at that battle last week that it was nearly impossible to distinguish all their scents, but I agree that this one smells sort of familiar. It must have gotten away from us somehow, and is still sticking around for some reason."

Paul is staring out the window. "How the hell are we supposed to cover the ocean? We can't exactly phase into sharks and dive into the water."

"Tell me about it," Quil mutters.

Paul turns to him, incredulous. "Oh my god, that's what you were trying to do last night?" He barks in laughter. "When I phased in to patrol last night, I sensed this moron doggy paddling in the ocean. I thought you were just trying to see if you could find a trace of the rogue vamp!"

"Hey!" Quil defends himself, "We're not actually werewolves, right? We're supposed to be shapeshifters, aren't we? So in theory we should be able to turn into something else, shouldn't we?" Everyone else is howling with laughter and clutching their sides. Quil yells, "It was worth a shot!"

Sam is trying to hold in his laughter. "You need to pay more attention when Billy tells the legends, man." After several minutes of everyone ragging on Quil, he tries to get the pack to focus. "But seriously, anyone have any suggestions about how to protect the water? We can concentrate our patrols along the shore, but we can't exactly run along the beach in midday in wolf form, or keep people out of the water."

"Maybe we can," Jacob breaks in. Everyone turns to look at him. "Beaches get closed for all kinds of reasons. Bad weather, chemical spills, jellyfish attacks. A few years back, my sisters went to Florida for Spring break. They came home all pissed because the beaches were closed because of a red tide. Something about toxic algae blooms, and no one was allowed to go swimming. We can fake a report like that, get the council to put some kind of temporary restriction on swimming, until we can catch this vampire."

"How are we going to make the water red?" Quil asks.

Jared rolls his eyes. "I don't think red tides are always actually red, dude. And anyway, who's going to argue with the council? Some under cover marine biologist is going to show up at the beach with a microscope and tell us we're wrong?"

Sam ends the discussion. "It's a great idea. I'll get the council to do it. And I'll see if the Cullens can meet up at the treaty line tonight. We're due for an update. I want to know if they've been holding back any info on this latest threat."

The meeting breaks up and turns into a free-for-all of Emily's kitchen. It only takes minutes for the pack to decimate three hours of her labor. Jacob stops to thank her. "Em, the food was amazing as usual. Did we leave anything behind for you guys to have for dinner?"

"As a matter of fact, no," she laughs. "I'm headed to the store in a few minutes. I should get you guys to build me a warehouse in the back yard. I'll order food wholesale and get 18 wheelers to deliver right to my front door."

"Do you want a hand with the shopping? I can't patrol yet since I can't phase again for a bit, and Billy doesn't need me for a few hours."

"Really? That would be great, Jake. I usually need two carts to get everything, and when I'm alone it's really awkward to drag them both around. Are you sure it's not too much trouble?"

Truth be told, it's a welcome distraction. He's sure that left to his own devices, the only thing he'll accomplish is a lot more brooding over Bella Swan. Or, worse yet, lusting after Bella Swan. Probably both simultaneously. "It's really the least I can do, Em. You take such good care of us." He grins, "And I have an ulterior motive. Seeing as I'm likely to partake in the results of your shopping, I can influence the choice of purchases and come back to enjoy them later."

While Sam gathers the council to seek a restriction on swimming at the beach, Jacob and Emily head to the store to restock her pantry.

"How are you holding up, Jake?" she asks gently.

"Sore, but I'll live. I just need to avoid phasing a bit longer."

"I heard you re-broke a couple bones yesterday. Did you see the doctor?"

He looks startled and shakes his head. "I don't plan to unless it's absolutely necessary."

"You'll get better, I know you will." They both understand she's not talking about his body anymore. Jacob isn't entirely convinced, but Emily is. It will just take time. She's not at all sure that Bella Swan will figure out just how much better Jake is suited to her than her own fiance, but she is sure that Jake will make it through this heartbreak. It's just not in his nature to break down.

He distracts her by insisting on paying for the groceries. She tries to stop him, but he knows that Sam and Emily don't have a lot to spare. Neither does he, of course, but he's only trying to keep one hungry werewolf fed on his budget, not the entire pack. "Nuh uh, Em. You do all the work, and don't pretend like it's nothing. Plus, you and I know that this doesn't even cover one month's worth of the food I eat out of your kitchen."

Emily thinks to herself that Jacob really is a catch. Too bad Bella Swan is too wrapped up in Edward Cullen to see it. But she won't judge. She, of all people, knows that you can't always help whom you love.

The shopping trip doesn't take up nearly as much time as Jacob had hoped. He finds himself with most of the afternoon and evening stretching out in front of him, with little to fill it other than thoughts of his Bells. He only has two tasks to complete for the rest of the day. He should cook dinner for himself and Billy (but cooking always reminds him of Bella), and his bike needs a new clutch cable and a tune up (but working on his bike always reminds him of Bella).

Morosely, he looks in his refrigerator to realize that he spent the past two hours shopping, but brought no food home. There's not much to make other than jarred spaghetti. At least there's one more pack of ground chuck in the freezer, so he can have some meat sauce. He defrosts it in the microwave, browns it, and sets the sauce to simmering.

Now the only thing left to do is work on his bike. He manages to keep his thoughts neutral while replacing the clutch cable, but feels drained by the time he's done. He hasn't done anything taxing today, but trying not to think about Bella is sapping his energy. He's probably also using extra energy in the process of knitting together his broken bones. A few weeks before, he had dragged a slightly broken, hand-me-down loveseat into the garage. It's collapsing in the middle, and the color has faded from a bright blue to an uneven gray. It's never looked so inviting. He lowers his frame into it slowly. He'll just sit for a few minutes, and then he'll replace the fluids in the motorcycle.

Three hours later, Billy comes looking for him. It's not like Jake to skip a meal. His father finds his large frame sprawled across the small seat. Falling out of it, really. Billy wonders why Jake even bothered with the chair. It's small enough that he may as well have just lay a few blankets on the ground; it would be more comfortable. He's tempted to get a quilt and tuck his boy in, but realizes how silly it is, with Jake's skin so hot. He turns off the light in the garage and wheels back into his house.


	5. Chapter 5

Rating: MA for lemons.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

~~~~~~~  
Tuesday

Bella still hasn't gotten over the humiliating manner in which she awoke. It's dually horrifying that she not only alerted her fiance to the content of her dream, but she was apparently so loud that she even managed to wake her father down the hall. At least she had enough nightmares in the past year that he really did seem convinced when she lied to him about why she had been screaming.

Edward, on the other hand, was not so easily fooled. His reaction simultaneously thrills her, scares her, and confuses her. She has spent their entire relationship feeling a bit rejected, longing and disappointment filling her every time he pulls away from a heated embrace. She has long wished for him to release some of his tightly held control. He has always explained that his walls were constructed for her safety, but she never really understood it until now. She is glad to know that her body does produce a lustful reaction in him. She even feels a bit triumphant to have finally produced an erection in him. But his hold over her mouth and nose was genuinely frightening. It was actually quite difficult to breathe, and he clearly didn't realize. This is one of the only times she can recall that he was not in complete control of himself. It's what she's been waiting for, isn't it?

On the other hand, maybe the dreams are a blessing in disguise. It can be like exposure therapy for patients with phobias. He can gradually acclimate himself to her sexual self in this manner before the wedding.

All the same, she finds herself relieved when he doesn't reappear in her window later in the morning. In fact, she hasn't seen him all day. She spends another day bored at Newton's. It has been the kind of day that is usually followed with Edward insisting, again, to pay any and all expenses she has, basically until the end of time. It still makes her feel uncomfortable. She has been able to fend off his request for her to quit her job by explaining that it would look suspicious to Charlie, who thinks she is paying at least part of her way through college.

What she doesn't say out loud is that Charlie and Renee have raised her not to take handouts, and despite not really liking her job, she likes the independence it affords her, and the knowledge that she is supporting herself. Secretly, the Cullens' wealth makes her uncomfortable. She's still not clear on where most of it comes from. Carlisle job at the hospital confers a hefty salary, but is not so great as to support their lavish lifestyle. Which means that most of it probably comes from Alice's visions, and therefore the stock market. Bella feels like it should be illegal, except who would ever write such a ridiculous law?

By the time Charlie gets home in the evening, he has apparently forgotten all about last night's awakening. She's not about to bring it up, so they share a companionable meal. She is a bit on edge all evening long, wondering when Edward will make his appearance. She hasn't heard from him all day.

The closer it gets to bedtime, the more nervous Bella becomes. She has had the most enticing, vivid, and erotic dreams of her life for the past two nights running. Dreams that don't include her fiance.  
Will tonight be the same? She feels silly, working herself up in nervous anticipation of a likely non-event. Part of her is worried that Edward will probably be exposed to another challenging night trying to hold himself still in her room. The bigger part of her is secretly looking forward to another wonderful dream.

That doesn't stop her from being scared that she will call out Jacob's name in her sleep. She has absolutely no control over that. And if Edward realizes she's dreaming of his enemy, how will he respond? So far he has been aroused but intrigued. But he was also unintentionally frightening enough the night before, and she is confident that he had no idea she was dreaming about Jacob.

Those nervous thoughts swirling around her mind keep her awake for quite a while. But eventually her fatigue overcomes her. She slips into slumber just as Edward is entering her window. She faintly senses him seating himself in her rocking chair just before she fades away, thinking that it probably is best that he not try to lie in her bed tonight.

_She will go to him tonight. She can't quite remember what interrupted them the night before, but knows they have unfinished business. In fact, the events of her entire day are rather fuzzy in her mind, as if the waking hours were just a dream. She is actually no longer sure which events are real. The only thing she's certain of is Jacob._

_She opens the front door to his house and tiptoes to his bedroom. She can hear Billy snoring lightly down the hall, but where is Jacob? His bedroom door is wide open, and the room is empty. Perhaps he's on patrol? He's not supposed to phase again so soon after his injuries. She resolves not to leave without finding him, even if it means wandering the beach in the middle of the night._

_She steals out to the garage. She has low expectations since there is no light coming from within, but he has incredibly sharp vision. The moon is bright in the sky tonight. Maybe he just doesn't need extra light. Her eyes are not as good as his. She stands in the doorway to the garage, blinking until her vision adjusts to the darkness. Even before she can see him, she can sense him somewhere in the can hear him breathe, slow and even._

_When she can finally see, he is sprawled across a small loveseat. He really doesn't fit, and it makes her smile. He is completely out. She clears her throat, but he doesn't stir at all. It gives her a chance to really look at him._

_He is wearing his usual outfit of denim cutoffs and nothing else. His long, thickly muscled legs are sticking out in front of him, and he has slid down in the seat at an angle, his upper body resting in the corner of the seat, his right arm propped beneath the back of his skull, the left flung over the back of the chair. Even completely relaxed, the muscles in his shirt and arms are prominent and defined. He looks positively enticing. His full lips are slightly parted, and his long lashes brush against the top of his cheeks. She wants to feel them tickle her skin._

_She approaches him slowly, fully intending to wake him with her lips on his skin. She's trying to figure out where to start, his chest or his mouth, when instead, she trips over a loose cord on the ground and lands directly in top of him with a great, "Oof." Great. So much for her plans of seduction._

_She brushes her hair out of her face as she feels him wrap his arms around her middle. "Well, hello there," he coughs in surprise._

_"Um, that's not what I meant to do." She is blushing, and he can see it even in the dark. He loves it. It's adorable, for one, and better yet, it's proof of the lifeblood still running through her veins._

_"You're here. That's all that matters." He pulls her more tightly against him. "Where'd you go? All of a sudden, you were just gone."_

_She frowns and tries to remember. She can recall with perfect clarity his hands on her body, his lips and tongue sweetly stroking, and her whole body flushes. But whatever happened next, she can barely remember. She thinks it has something to do with Edward. And her father? She grasps at the memory, but it's gone. "I really don't know, but right now I'm exactly where I want to be."_

_He grins. "Damn straight, you are. In my arms, where you belong." The grin turns into a lascivious smirk. "Wanna see how much closer you can get?"_

_She leans up to kiss him, lightly brushing her lips against his own, before whispering against his mouth, "Yes, please."_

_He scoots up so he's sitting upright, winds his left arm around her waist to pull her in so she's straddling him fully, and winds his right hand through her hair. He brings her in for a deep, luscious kiss. He growls low in his chest when rakes her nails against his scalp, burying her hands in his own thick hair. He wants to feel her nails scratching his back as he thrusts deep within her._

_He's immediately hard and straining against her. She can feel him through their layers of clothing. His heat, and the proof of his desire for her, stimulates a response from deep within her. She loves how passionately he responds to her. In her normal life, she feels ordinary at best. Lucky, blessed even, to have the attention of her picture-perfect fiancé. Placed upon a pedestal where she doesn't belong. She's not worthy. And It's one of the reasons she wants to be turned. So she can finally fit into the life she has chosen._

_But here in Jacob's arms, Bella Swan feels sexy. Jacob knows her better than anyone else in the world. Better than Edward, better than Charlie, better than Renee, better even than she knows herself. He knows her mind, her spirit, and now he knows her body as well. And the more he knows her, the real her, the more he wants her. Here, in the darkness of his garage, wrapped in his embrace, in the place that feels like home more than anywhere else in the world, she's ready to give herself to him._

_But first, she wants to get to know him a little better. The night before, he took the time to intimately acquaint himself with the contours of her body. Tonight she wants to learn his._

_She starts with his handsome face. She copies his movements from the night before, placing tiny kisses across his forehead, down the bridge of his nose, and across his eyelids. She loves the sensation of his eyelashes fluttering on her cheeks just as much as she thought she would. She pauses to nuzzle along his high cheekbones, and brushes her lips against his. He tries to pull her in for more, but she moves aside to kiss along his jawline. She moves down to discover a sensitive spot underneath his chin, and grins in triumph when he sucks a sharp breath in. She wants to find every spot on his body that makes him gasp._

_She steps off him and he frowns. "Where do you think you're going?"_

_She recalls his words from the night before. "Patience, honey. We'll get there, I promise. There's so much of you that I want to explore." He grins in recollection and leans back to give her access._

_She shakes her head and takes him by the hand, tugging him forward off the seat. "Kneel," she orders._

_He arches a brow, but obeys. "I think I could get used to you ordering me around. And the view from down here is pretty nice, but it would be even better if you were naked," he teases._

_He's better at seductive banter than she is. She wants to say something sexy in response, but can't think of anything suitable, so she just arches her brow back at him and turns him so that he's sitting on the floor between her legs. She'll let her touch do the talking for her._

_She starts by gently massaging his shoulders. He relaxes, and she kneads more deeply, pressing as hard as she can. His head drops forward. He has knots in his trapezius muscles, and she works them all out one by one, placing soft kisses behind. She indulges in staring at the prominent muscles of his back, and wonders that this is the same gangly boy she grew up with. He's changed so much, and yet so little. Life keeps throwing impossible and overwhelming situations at him. He responds by squaring his now broad shoulders, drawing upon some apparently endless inner well of strength, and turning directly to face the new threat head on. She doesn't know how he does it and still keeps his sunny Jacob smile on his face._

_She is glad that she can bring him some comfort and respite from the chaos his life has become. Since he can apparently read her mind, he softly says, "You make me so happy, Bells. That feels so good."_

_She works her way down his back, slowly working each knot away into submission. When he's good and relaxed, she lightens her touch to almost a tickle. After all, she did start this to find out where his most sensitive spots are. She discovers that he is most responsive to light touches on either side of his spine._

_Next she moves to his arms. She kneads along his biceps and his triceps, tracing out their well defined outlines. She takes special care to be gentle along the entire right arm. She discovers that the inside of his elbows are just as sensitive as hers. She draws his arm up so she can massage both his hands and each of his fingers in turn, and ends by taking his sensitive index finger into her mouth and suckling gently, previewing her intentions for the evening to come. His breathing turns from even to raspy and broken, and she knows he's hooked._

_She tugs him back up so that he is sitting back in the seat, and she moves to kneel between his legs. His pupils dilate as he takes in her position. She looks submissive, but they both know that right now, she holds all the power. She sits back on her heels and takes his left calf in her hands, and massages the muscles deeply. She takes his foot in her hand and uses her thumbs to press into his sole, and he wiggles his toes in pleasure, but when she lightens her touch he squirms until he laughs out loud and jerks away. Apparently, he's quite ticklish there. She files the information away for later. She's sure it'll come in handy eventually. She switches to the right side and repeats the massage, but more gently again in deference to his injuries, and doesn't torture his right foot with tickles._

_She places her hands on his knees and moves up, now kneeling higher so she can access his stomach. His upper body is mesmerizing. It took her an awfully long time to notice just how well developed he had become, but now that she's noticed, she can't help but stop and stare every time he has his shirt off. Which is most of the time. The last time she stopped to lavish attention on this part of his body, he was asleep, and she only traced along his musculature with her fingers. This time she thinks she'll use her tongue. She starts along his hipbones, dropping kisses along the border. His shorts are still in her way, so she doesn't get very far._

_Now that she's so close to where he really wants her to go, Jacob can barely keep himself in check. His erection is hot and heavy and pointed at an uncomfortable angle in his pants, and he really wants to take them off. But he doesn't want to push Bella too far, nor be presumptuous about her intentions, so he decides he can live with the discomfort for as long as he has to. After all, he's been waiting for Bella Swan for nearly his whole life, so what's a few minutes more? It's the most exquisite torture._

_She's outlining each one of his abdominal muscles with her tongue, and he can't believe this is finally happening. He's vaguely aware that something strange is going on. He recalls with detailed precision each moment he's spent with her (and oh, what moments they are), but everything else is just on the edge of his memory, niggling at him but refusing to come clear. Perhaps if he pulled her to her feet and sat her down for a real discussion, they could piece together the events of their day. But stopping her would go down as the stupidest thing he'd ever done._

_Instead, he focuses on the tip of her small, pink tongue peeking out from between her soft, parted lips. She's lapping at him like a cat, puffs of her breath tingling on the wet path she's left behind, and the tingling sensation is driving him out of his mind._

_She shifts upward and puts her warm, soft hands on his pectorals. She traces his clavicle and finds that it is even more ticklish there than hers. When she dips her tongue in the hollow of his throat, he involuntarily bucks beneath her and she grins. She explores the rest of his neck, finding that the whole area is an erogenous zone. His hands are gripping her hips tightly, pulling her flush against him, and she feels him vibrating beneath her in an attempt to hold still. Finally she moves up to trace her tongue along the edge of his ear, producing a throaty moan from him that she has not heard before. She gently grasps his earlobe between her teeth and tugs, bringing out a whimper._

_He doesn't know how much more of this he can take. The night before was wonderful, but also amounted to a big tease for him when it ended so abruptly, and she had fallen asleep the night before. So in addition to being more aroused than he has ever been, he's also nervous that something is about to bring their night together to an unpleasant end. And he simply has to be inside her tonight. Preferably soon. Or best yet, right fucking now._

_He doesn't want to hurt her, or scare her, or force her. But she's moving at a snail's pace over his body. So he settles on begging, "Please, baby, please," as he squirms underneath her._

_She sits up with a mischievous grin. "In a bit of a rush now, are we?"_

_He pouts in response, so she leans forward to take the offending lip between her teeth and nips him gently. It brings forth another whimper. She kisses him more deeply, and runs her fingernails across his small, dark nipples. He jerks beneath her. She wonders if they're as sensitive as her own, so she decides she needs to find out before she goes any further. She bends to lick circles around the edge, and he groans. She laves her tongue over the entire thing, and he hums. She decides to add her teeth, gently, and he hisses in pleasure. So she bites down a bit more firmly._

_"Oh, fuck... Yes, Bella." He bucks up again, rocking into her core. Apparently Jake likes it a little bit rough. She suspects she will as well. She scoots back down to kneel between his knees again._

_She briefly considers doing something brash and bold and totally unlike her, and popping the button of his shorts and lowering the zipper with her teeth. But this would probably somehow end up with her chipping her tooth or catching her lip in the zipper, she she decides against such a rash course of action and settles for using her fingers instead. She looks up at him to realize that no matter how his pants come off, as long as they come off, he'll be a happy man. There's probably not much she could do at this point to upset him, other than biting him where it counts, or just getting up to leave. Instead, she hooks her fingers in his belt loops and tugs. He raises his hips to help her, and she pulls them off and away._

_Bella is pretty sure that she's going to be a little stunned every time she sees him fully, no matter how many times that may be. His girth, his length, are intimidating. But he'll be less intimidating if she can figure out what to do with him. She starts by taking him in her hand. The last time she got touched him, he seemed to like having both her hands on him at once, so she tries that, and slowly pumps up and down. The movement isn't that smooth until she takes his precum and spreads it around. He gasps as if he can't get enough air. She repeats the motion again and again, until she remembers how nice he tasted when she tried him before._

_She takes a deep breath to steady herself, and leans forward to lick him like an ice cream cone. He grips the arms of the loveseat so hard that he's about to tear the upholstery._

_"I don't know what I'm doing, Jake," she whispers._

_"Unnhhh... You're doing great," he mumbles._

_"Tell me? So I do it right?" She keeps pumping._

_"Oh God... Oh shit... Okay." He takes in a heaving breath. "Lick the head."_

_She complies. "Mmmph... Keep stroking the base while you do that... Ohhhhhhhhhhh," he sighs. He wraps his fingers through her hair and tries to resist the urge to shove her head down onto him. "Hold me tighter. Oh God... Yeah like... Just like that."_

_"Um, now put more of your mouth on me, around the head." She does so, and hums involuntarily. She thinks she's starting to get the hang of this, and sucks on him in rhythm with her strokes, licking her tongue in wide swaths._

_"Shit. Hold my balls with... with... unhh... your other..." He trails off when she figures out what he means,_  
_which results in a noise from his throat that sounds like he's being strangled. He'd be embarrassed about it if he wasn't so damn happy._

_He can't talk any more, even if he wanted to. But he has no further instructions, no more words. At this point, it would only be thankyouthankyouthankyouthan kyou and yesssssssssssssssss._

_She's bobbing up and down on his cock, taking him in as far as she can go (which isn't very far since he's so big, and she's not up for trying to suppress her gag reflex just yet). He doesn't seem disappointed in the least. She was awfully nervous when she first started this, but he's clearly so, so pleased that she finally relaxes enough to let herself get turned on. Because this is really, truly arousing. She can feel herself getting wet and swollen as she laps at him. Now she understands why he kept insisting on making her come again and again last night. It wasn't just his natural generosity. Making her get off made him get off too._

_She's enthusiastic now, pausing to swirl and lick and kiss. She loves it. He loves it. He loves her. He stares down at her, difficult though it may be to keep his eyes open, because he's not missing a second of this. She is so fucking hot bobbing her sweet, soft lips up and down his shaft, her small, delicate hands gripping his base perfectly._

_He wants it to last as long as possible. This is, bar none, the best experience of his life so far, so he's in no rush to get it over with. But she's just too damn good at what she's doing. He's losing control despite himself. He's managing not to thrust into her throat, and somehow hasn't yanked on her hair or held her head down, so there's not much reserve left for him to hold out. Plus, he's confident that he'll still be hard after this, no matter how hard his orgasm will be, and he will happily bury himself in her sweet pussy after he comes in her hand (or -please- in her mouth, or on her face if she doesn't pull back quickly enough). Hopefully having an orgasm first will mean he can last longer when he's in her._

_Between watching her, and feeling her, and thinking about the sex he hopes to be having with her moments from now, his last shreds of control are slipping away. "Bells... Unhhh... Honey... Unhhh... I'm gonna... I'm gonna... You don't... Unhhh... have to..."_

_She feels triumphant. She's made the loquacious, cocky Jacob Black a blubbering, incoherent mess. She's feeling generous, and more than that, curious. She wants to know what he tastes like. So she hums her recognition of his mumblings, and draws his cock as deep as she can stand, strokes with her tongue and hands, and sucks hard. He howls. And he's coming... and coming... and coming into her throat, head thrown back, back arched, hands buried in her hair but somehow still not pulling or pushing. Apparently Jacob tastes like salt and hazelnuts. Surprisingly pleasant, she thinks to herself as she swallows._

_He doesn't shrink in her mouth like she expects, so she keeps hold of him until he pulls her up. He's gasping and sighing and sweating and he looks positively blissful. "Doesn't it, um, go down now?" she asks._

_He chuckles. "I think they normally do, but not mine. Not now, not after what you just did." He lifts his head up to look her straight in the eye. "What you just did, Bells, was amazing." He pulls her to straddle him and brings her in for a hot, open-mouthed kiss. The taste of his essence on her tongue makes him hot all over again, so he wraps his arms around her to center her right over his cock and refuses to let go of her lips._

_The pressure of him right up against her core is stimulating, and the seam of her cotton pants rubs deliciously on her clitoris in this position. So she rocks and rocks above him, relishing the contact. Eventually he pulls back and says, "You're wearing too many clothes."_

_So she leans back and whips her tank top over her head. He grabs her before she can stand to remove her pants, and sucks her left breast directly into his mouth and starts to hum. There's no more going slowly tonight. She needs him, and he needs her, so he gently works her nipple with his teeth while flicking with his tongue, and she's immediately ready for more._

_He agrees to let her up just long enough to tug her pants off, and she settles right back on him again. She lands in such a way that the head of his cock presses up against her clitoris. She was planning on lowering herself onto his cock fully, but the feeling of him on her clit is too good to pass up, so she starts to rock on him. He won't let go of her lips long enough for her to say anything, but he figures out what she's doing quickly enough and tilts his pelvis so his length rubs up against her clitoris at just the right angle._

_Now she's the one moaning and whimpering, and he's the one who feels like he has all the power despite being seated beneath her. They drag against each other several more times. Then he wets his thumb with his large tongue, and rubs it up against her nipple, and asks "Wanna come, baby?"_

_Her arousal, climbing high already, shoots up at his words, and she pleads an assent. So he thrusts his cock hard against her clit, pinches her nipples with both hands, and she orgasms, screaming his name._

"Jaaaaake!"

She hears a crash, and sits up confused in her own bed. Edward, in his haste and surprise, has knocked her rocking chair over, slamming it into her desk. He has jumped out the window and is staring at her with wide eyes, crouching in the tree outside her window. She hasn't seen him look so agonized since she went to rescue him in Volterra. But he is only there for a fraction of a second, and then he is gone.


	6. Chapter 6

Rating: MA for lemons.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stefenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Wednesday

Damn it, not again. This is getting to be absolutely ridiculous. At least today's mess is all on his own body and shorts, which are easily washed. He sighs and heaves himself up. He tentatively stretches, and finds that his aches and pains are nearly gone. Maybe he could get away with phasing today. He heads into the house, where Billy is thankfully still asleep, momentarily debating between food and bathing. He missed dinner last night, and can't remember the last time he was so hungry, but heads into the shower. He bathes efficiently. The sooner he's done, the sooner he can eat. When he emerges he sees that Billy left a mixing bowl full of last night's leftover spaghetti in the refrigerator for him. He momentarily debates about eating it cold, he's so hungry, but it's really unappealing that way. He can spare two minutes to microwave it.

Billy emerges just as he's washing his bowl. "Turned in early last night, huh? You must be getting old, son," he teases. "What's on the docket for today?"

"Morning, Dad. Well, I didn't finish working on my bike last night. Guess I must have fallen asleep. It shouldn't take long, and then I'd better head to the store unless we want ice cubes dipped in mustard for dinner. Then I think I'll head over to Bella's and she if she wants to talk." It's out of his mouth before it has even made its way through his brain. He wasn't actually planning on it, but now that he's spoken the words, he knows he has to. He has to see if there is anything way he can change her mind. It's not too late; she's still human. He won't be able to live with himself if she dies. He will always wonder if there was anything else he could have done.

Bella spends the morning agonizing over Edward. After fleeing from her room, he still hasn't returned. She has called Alice's phone and the Cullens' home, and no one seems to know where he is. She's terrified he will leave her because of her betrayal. She wishes she had some modicum of control of her dreams, but it's impossible. They have forced her to face a truth about herself. She lusts after Jacob. Her body obviously wants him. And she has already figured out how guilty she feels about hurting him. She knows she wants him in her life, that she does love him, but it's not enough. She has resolved not to hurt him any longer by stringing him along any more. He's better off if she stays out of his way. But she still longs for his presence. For his warmth and his easy smile. She has enough self-awareness to have figured that out. She reasons that her subconscious is combining her attraction to him, her missing him, and her desire to comfort him into highly inappropriate dreams.

But it can't be more than that, can it? Yes, she loves him, but not as much as she loves Edward. She has made her decision, and she's sticking with it. She's getting married in a few weeks. This is just cold feet, on a subconscious level. She refuses to admit to that it's anything more. Now she just has to find Edward to apologize, and hope that he forgives her. First she just has to slog through another shift at Newton's. And then she needs to convince herself that she's doing the right thing, because her dreams of Jacob feel more real to her than anything else in her life, save Jacob himself.

When she gets home from work, she finds a stack of fabric samples and catalogues from Alice, with a note attached in Alice's bubbly handwriting. _I think I know what you want already, but the fun is all in the choosing! Let me know what you think. Love, Alice._ She rolls her eyes and puts them aside. She simply does not care about any of this. And Alice admitted already that she knows what Bella will choose. So why go through all this trouble?

She is startled by a knock on the door, and opens it to find a UPS delivery man on the other side. He looks bored and rushed, and runs off before she signs for the package. Perplexed, she closes the door behind him and examines the box. It's for Charlie. She turns to set it in the kitchen when there is another knock at the door. It must be the delivery guy realizing he needs her signature.

But it's not the delivery man. It's Jacob Black, and he's leaning against the entryway of her porch, unintentionally looking scrumptious. Her eyes widen, and she looks confused, and looks past him. "Expecting someone else?" he asks.

"Where did the UPS guy go? Where's his truck?"

He arches a brow, "I can go put on some brown short shorts and a tight polo on, if you want. But there's no one out here but me. There's not even a wolf out here right now. I came in between patrols."

She flushes, and he grins. He loves making her blush. "No, a delivery guy just dropped off a package for Charlie. I forgot to sign for it." She's still rather concerned. Where did he go? There's no way he's driven off already. She's only stepped away from the door for a few seconds.

"Oh, I doubt those signatures really matter. He'll be back if he really needs it. Um, can I come in?" She's still blocking the door, peeking behind him.

"Yeah, sure." She steps out of the way, still flushed. She wants to put as much distance as possible between his body and hers. He's only standing there, innocently enough, making no move for her, and she can feel her body responding to his. It's totally inappropriate. She's engaged to another man.

His expression has turned serious, in response to the expression on her face. He opens his mouth to speak, but she stops him before he can get any further.

"I know why you're here, Jake."

He looks a bit surprised, but lets her continue.

"I can't give you what you want. You should go." Her voice is barely a whisper. She needs to get him to leave before she gives in, before she destroys everything she's worked so hard for. "It's too much right now. You should leave."

"No, Bella," he states firmly, "You and I are meant for each other. I know it."

There is truth in his words, and she knows it. "Maybe in another life, Jake, but not in this one." She's trying to hold her tears in. "If we were meant to be, you'd have imprinted on me."

And there's the crux of the matter. The ridiculous, mystical, inexplicable force that he hates, that goes against everything he stands for, is ruining his life. And it hasn't even happened to him. "I love you, Bella. I always will. Nothing can change that."

She looks devastated. "Sam loved Leah too, didn't he? They were going to get married."

Now he's angry. "I'm not Sam, and you're not Leah. What I feel for you, Bells, goes beyond what they had. It's more. It's forever. I know it." His teeth are gritted together in frustration and conviction. He's dead serious, and shaking his head. "I could walk away, I could accept it, if I thought you'd actually be happy. I know he has a lot to offer. I know I can't take you to Paris or Rome on a whim. I can't buy you a fancy car or a big house. I can't pay for whichever fancy college you want to go to, or pull the strings so you get in anywhere you want. But I can make you happy, Bells. You know I can."

She struggles to find words. "Those things, the money, the _things_, you know that's not why I'm with him, Jake. I love him."

He looks pained. "I know you do, honey. I even know he loves you too, as much as he's able. But that wasn't the question. Does he make you happy, Bells? Really, honestly happy?" He's looking her straight in the eye, and she can't turn away from his piercing gaze.

Edward makes her feel intoxicated. Makes her feel giddy. Makes her feel lucky and blessed to have his attention. And now that he's been a part of her life, he feels inevitable. A force of nature. The defining point in her life. Her voice is barely audible, "I... I... I can't live without him."

Gently, in soothing tones, Jacob tells her, "You have, though. For years before you met him, and for months after. And you can, for years to come. It doesn't even have to be with me, Bella. If you don't want me, I'll step aside. Go to college, meet a nice guy, make a career, start a family. Give Charlie and Renee a bunch of grandbabies. You'll be a wonderful mother, Bella, if you want to be. I'll step aside and watch you grow up and be happy for you, even though I'll miss you every minute of every day. But living with him is no life at all. It's an existence, I know it is, but it's also death, Bella."

She can't speak. She has no response. When Edward left, she didn't just feel like there was a hole in her chest. It was as if he took her very essence with him. He took the thing that made her her. If he leaves her again, she's terrified that the hole will come back. She's nothing without him. And in order to be with him, to make a life with him, to fully deserve him, she needs to be like him. She needs to become a vampire. She says none of this, but Jake knows exactly what she's thinking. The irony doesn't escape her, that Edward can read every mind but hers like an open book but finds her impenetrable, while Jacob always knows exactly what she's thinking.

"You're a whole person, Bella, just the way you are. You are such a wonderful, whole person, with or without him. Love shouldn't make you feel inadequate, Bells. It shouldn't make you feel like you're not enough. Maybe it should make you want to be the best person that you can be, but it should never make you feel like you're not complete in and of yourself."

She sobs, "But I'm not, Jake. You remember what I was like when he left the last time. I can't go through that again. I can't do it again. It broke me, Jake, and the only reason I came out the other side was you."

Softly, simply, he states, "So be with me, Bella. We'll do it together. But you're wrong, you know. You're whole without him, Bella. The only thing he took with him when he left was your sense of self worth, and the fantasy of a hollow life that was never meant to be."

"You know he only left to protect me, Jake."

"Then he should have taken care of Victoria before he left," he growls, "He should have been honest with you about why he was leaving, and afterward, he should have stayed away."

She has never told Jacob what Edward said to her when he left, but somehow he knew. He know how she worships Edward like a god. Thinks of him as a god, even. And when a god seeks a mortal girl's affections, who is she to turn him down?

She doesn't realize she's said it aloud until he laughs darkly. "And how did those myths end up, anyway? I wasn't paying that much attention in class, Bella, but I don't remember happy endings for those girls. I remember one was turned into a cow, and another turned into a fly?"

She scoffs, "Io was turned into a cow to protect her from Hera's jealousy, and Metis was turned into a fly when Zeus found out her son would dethrone her."

"Right, and he swallowed her, right? And for the record, Bella, Edward isn't a god. He's a monster. A pretty one, maybe, with nice manners, but a monster nonetheless."

Now she's angry. "He's not a monster, Jake. He doesn't kill humans. You know that," she hisses.

"Has he ever, Bella? He's never once given in to the temptation?"

She's silent, and that is answer enough.

"So he's not a monster, then, just a murderer." The words are spoken softly, but with power. "And that's what you want to become?"

"I don't want to hurt anyone. But I don't have a choice," her voice is low. "The Volturi will come back, and if I'm not turned by then..."

He moves forward and take her chin is his hand, tipping it up toward him. "I won't let them do anything to you, Bella. I'll protect you. We'll protect you. You do have a choice. You can live. I won't let them hurt you." Now he's about to cry.

"It's too late, Jake. I can't ask you to put your life back on the line, and I won't ask the pack either. Once was enough, and I almost lost you."

Now he is crying. "You won't lose me, Bells, not to some imprint and not to a vampire. I won't let it happen. Just stay with me."

She can't look him in the eye anymore. She keeps her head down and steps away from him. "I just can't be without him. You don't know what it was like, you can't know how bad it was. You weren't there in the beginning, Jake, I can't do it again. You can't know what it feels like. The emptiness. You don't know what it's like to lose someone so vital to your existence." She is crying so hard that she almost misses the hardened expression on his face, and can't stop herself after she has realized what she has said.

"Maybe it is too late." His voice is hoarse. "The Bella I know, the Bella I love, wouldn't say that to me."

She says nothing as she realizes what she's just said. Jacob, of all people, understands loss. Not only his mother, but Bella herself. She is doing to him right now what Edward did to her. Telling him she's leaving because he isn't enough. That her love for him isn't enough.

He waits for a response, but her voice is stuck in her throat.

"And the Bella I know wouldn't willingly turn herself into a killer," he says, a flat expression on his face. He centers himself, steps toward her, and gently wipes the tears from her face with his thumbs. His touch is the best thing she's felt in days. He gives it one last shot, and slowly leans in to place a sweet, gentle kiss on her lips, and murmurs against her, barely loud enough to hear, "I love you. I'll protect you. Always."

He backs up to the door. Waits for her to stop him from leaving, but she is paralyzed with fear. She rasps out a quiet, "I know. I love you too. I'm sorry," and with that he is gone.

She's so distraught upon his departure that she doesn't notice that the package left behind by UPS is nowhere to be seen.


	7. Chapter 7

Rating: MA for lemons.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stefenie Meyer. The

author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright

infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Wednesday night

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob decides to walk back home instead of phasing. He really doesn't want anyone else in his head right now. Soon enough everyone else will be privy to his heartbreak and humiliation, but that time doesn't need to be now.

He finally understands just how afraid Bella is. It casts a whole new light on her decision. He already knew she was terrified of losing Edward again, scared of returning to that dark, empty place in her mind. He always knew he would keep her from going back there again, keep her out in the light and surrounded by his warmth and his love. But he hadn't understood just how afraid she is that if she chooses him, it will just be a matter of time until he leaves her, and she will be without her lover and her best friend. So she's pushing him away before he even has a chance to prove his faithfulness to her. And as much as he feels there is no one else for him, no faceless girl waiting in the wings to sweep him off his feet, he can't give her a guarantee. There is no doubt in his mind that he could break an imprint if he needed to. He would stop phasing, exorcise the wolf, physically tie himself down, move across the country or across the sea to put distance between himself and the faceless girl, to allow him to stay with Bella. But he honestly believes, knows in his bones, that his imprint simply does not exist. He has no way to prove this to her.

And then there is the matter of the Volturi. They most certainly do exist. She does not want him to put himself on the line for her again, but does not understand that he would happily die in an attempt to save her life, if only for a small chance that she should live. She thinks his attitude is hubris, that he is cocky and overconfident and does not understand his own limits. She is sure he would die. He is actually fully aware that he might not survive such an attempt. What he does understand, that she does not, is that such an attempt is quite literally what he is made for. It's why he exists. He still hasn't fully embraced his wolf, but this part, the part where he can protect the woman he loves: the man and the wolf are in total agreement. He would fight an imprint until the day he dies, but the instinct to protect was a part of him before the wolf. The wolf simply gave him the means with which to do so.

Tonight, though, there is no one to protect her from but from Bella herself. And he has said all that he can, and she has said all that she is willing. He need not return to her unless he finds different words.

For now, he is aimless. He has no way to assuage her fears other than by pledging his word, and she has been clear that it is not enough. He thinks about another life, the one he would have lived had the Cullens not returned. He avoids thinking of the life he would have had with Bella. It is too painful, right after she acknowledged that they were meant to be, if the world was a different place. Instead he thinks of the life he would have had if she had not returned either. He wonders if he'd have a girlfriend by now, or if he would still be spending all his time joking with Quil and Embry. He would be going off to college, of that he is certain. Once upon a time he had designs to be an architect or an engineer. It's hard to imagine how that could happen now. He'd get married someday, have kids. He still wants that, wants to be a dad. Wants to chase his children in the yard, teach them how to swim, show them how to change a tire and help them with their homework. Show them how to grow into loving, happy adults. Help them find their place in the world. And he'd be a husband. He'd be for some nice girl what his father was to his mother. He'd make some girl feel like the center of his universe. They'd love and laugh and fight and make up. They'd raise their kids, send them off to school, watch them grow up and call themselves empty-nesters some time down the road. He'd love somebody, and she'd love him back. It's just awfully hard to picture who the nice girl could be if she's not Bella.

He pulls himself together when he approaches his own front door. Billy is waiting up for him in the living room but doesn't wheel around to face him. "Didn't go so well, son?" he asks softly.

"Yeah, I guess you saw it coming, huh?"

"This was a bit of a tip off, actually. Got here right after you left." He hands over a thick, white parchment. Jacob's heart falls into his stomach. Bella's wedding invitation, just weeks away. Which will be closely followed by the date of her death. It's too soon. Far too soon. She should have years in front of her, not days.

He has the sudden urge to leave. To let his wolf take over, and just run. The pounding of the earth would be solid under his feet. It would let him know where he is in the world. The wolf doesn't feel despair so acutely as the man, so maybe he would just stay that way. Or perhaps he could leave on his motorcycle. It would keep the pack out of his head. It's tempting, but it wouldn't solve anything. She will still die. He'll just be somewhere else when it happens. Moreover, he has his father to think of. He has the pack. So instead, he rips the invitation into tiny little pieces and tells his father he'll be back.

He compromises. He'll run, because he needs to, but in his human form so that he can be alone with his thoughts. He will run until he's tired enough to collapse. Perhaps it will be a dreamless sleep, for once. Or perhaps it will be a dream in which everything will be right in his world, and she will come to him again. He's not sure which he'd rather have happen. The past few nights have been wonderful, but every morning that he wakes up with empty arms, he feels like he's losing her all over again. Inevitably, tomorrow will come, and he will figure out what to do then.

He takes off along the beach. A storm is coming, so it's thankfully devoid of people. He tries not to think, but fails. The wedding invitation was a blow, but no more so than his conversation with Bella. He meant what he said to her, every word of it, even the part about letting her go gracefully if only she were going to be happy with another human man. Or being single, for that matter. He thinks darkly to himself that maybe he should set her up with some other guys. That, at least, brightens his mood a bit. What she would do to him if he set her up on a blind date with that Newton kid? Or better yet, Paul?

He's managing to somewhat distract himself with that train of thought when he suddenly comes across the pungent, fresh, acrid scent of vampire. It can't be more than a couple hours old. It's definitely the same as the rogue newborn they haven't been able to catch. It's heading straight out of the water and into the woods. Jacob pauses only briefly to tie his shorts around his ankle, phases, and tears along the trail, letting out a howl of warning. Soon, several of his pack brothers join the hunt.

Leah is already running a tight perimeter around the Swan house, and he tells her to stick as close as she can. Jared had been tracking old trails along the southernmost forests of the rez, and immediately reverses his direction to join Jake. Embry, Seth, and Sam phase in to chase after Jacob. None of them have a chance of catching him. He's fast to begin with, and tonight he has the pent up energy of desperation fueling him on. It only gets stronger when he realizes the trail leads more or less directly to the Swan residence.

Jacob is relieved when he can hear through Leah's mind that both Charlie and Bella are apparently alive and well. They're eating dinner together in relative silence. The pack gets a muted sense of Jacob's black mood when they all phase in, but he's too focused on trying to catch up with his prey for any details of his evening to sneak through. He pauses to note that the vampire climbed a tree, and actually phases back to human so he can climb up as well and see if he can figure out what the vampire was doing. He's alarmed when he realizes just how close to Bella's home the vampire came. He can actually see it from the top of the tree. God, he was probably inside the house when it was up here. The scent is downwind from the Swan house, and the incoming storm is bringing violent winds in to sweep the scent in the opposite direction, which is why he didn't realize it was there when he was talking to her, and why Leah hasn't noticed it on her patrol of the house. He drops back down to the ground and returns to wolf form, and the trail turns north and away from Forks.

Sam pulls the rest of the pack back when he realizes the trail is heading so far out of town.

_Jacob, it's obviously gone. It's way out of our territory._

_Are you giving me an order to turn back?_

Sam pauses to consider. _No, I won't order you. But I don't think it's our business when it's out that far._

_Then no one else needs to come with me. But this thing is clearly after Bella. That bitch we killed last week created it for the sole purpose of killing her, and I don't think it's going to stop until she's dead. So I'm going to try to end this now, Sam. _

The members of the pack are alternately arguing with him, or wishing him luck, but Jacob has stopped listening. Bella may not value her life, but he still does, and the rogue vampire will get to her over Jacob's dead body. He turns north.

X-x-x-x-X

Bella stands, unmoving in the center of her living room, until a gust of wind sends the open door crashing into the wall. Her tears have dried. Jacob brushed them off her cheeks, and her skin is still warm where he touched her. Her lips still tingle where he touched them with his. The rest of her body is cold. She feels a familiar ache in her chest, an empty space where something should be. _How odd, _she wonders. _I haven't felt that ache since Edward came back_. A niggling voice in the back of her brain remembers, _It was before that. The hole was filled before you left to bring him home._ She silences the voice.

She closes the door, and then unconsciously wraps her arms around her middle. It's familiar, and somewhat comforting. She gradually realizes that she's gripping herself tightly. _Oh yes, this is how I held myself together before._ _I can do it again._ But this time, maybe she won't have to. She doesn't know yet that Edward is gone. She hasn't seen him since the awful way she woke up this morning, but that doesn't mean he left her again. Does it? The last time he left, he at least told her that he was going. He wouldn't leave forever without at least saying goodbye, would he?

She's distracted from the ache in her chest by the sound of Charlie's cruiser pulling up into the drive. She flees upstairs, not wanting him to see her until she can check herself in the mirror and make sure she looks acceptable. She doesn't want to face any questions today. She peers at her reflection. Her eyes are red, puffy, swollen, and she is paler than usual. She holds a cold washcloth to her face for as long as she can, since just hiding in the bathroom is bound to rises suspicion at some point, and then adds a bit of blush to her cheeks to hide her pallor. She finds him peeking into the fridge.

"Hey, Bells. Do you want to head to the diner tonight?" He sees no sign of dinner on the stove.

She can't stand the idea of being stuck with him in the car, and then waiting for a meal to arrive at their table, all the while trying to avoid awkward small talk. He'll figure out that something's wrong, and she doesn't want to talk about it. At all. Especially with Charlie. He'll probably find out from Billy soon enough that she had another falling out with Jacob. She doesn't think she can stand to see the disappointment in his eyes when he finds out. He's made no secret of preferring Jacob to Edward, although these days he's careful not to say anything out loud, for fear of setting her off or pushing her away. But he'll know, and he won't be able to keep the disappointed expression from his face.

"Sorry, dad, I got caught up with stuff from work and didn't get anything ready, but we've still got leftover stew in the freezer. It shouldn't take too long to heat up."

He brightens at the prospect, "Oh yeah, I'll never turn that down. Better than anything the diner has to offer, that's for sure." Her beef stew is comfort food at its best, and they both know it. Hearty, simple, flavorful, and rich. She made a huge batch the last time, enough to give some to Billy and Jacob and still have some for later. As she sets it in the microwave, she remembers the look on Jacob's face when she fed it to him. Pure bliss. _God, Bells. I'm in heaven. I've died and gone to heaven, and it's apparently full of cows for me to eat!_ She pushes the thought aside. She just can't think of him right now. She'll collapse.

She puts on a fake smile and pretends she's fine throughout dinner. Charlie gives her sideways glances and picks up on the tension, but says nothing.

The silence is broken by a wolf's howl. It sounds distant to her, but Charlie looks concerned. "I worry about those things, Bells. You're not going into the woods these days, are you?"

She shakes her head. "You know I'm not much of a hiker, Dad." To herself, she worries about Jake. That wasn't a normal wolf.

As she's clearing the table, Charlie settles in front of the television, and they are both surprised by a knock at the door. Jacob wouldn't come back this soon, would he? She doesn't think she has the strength to turn him away again. But Charlie doesn't sound particularly pleased at the visitor, so there's no way it's Jake.

She turns around and is simultaneously relieved and anxious to see her fiance standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Is it a good thing or a bad thing that he didn't wait until nightfall to sneak into her room as usual?

"I've come to pick you up for our date, Bella. Are you ready to go?" he asks, a carefully neutral expression on his face. He takes in the recently completed remnants of the meal in the sink. "Any appetite left for dessert?"

She knows she's distraught, but not confused enough to have forgotten about plans with him. This is just a ruse to get her out of the house. She nods and wipes her hands on the kitchen towel nervously. "Of course, Edward." She calls out to Charlie, "Dad, I forgot to tell you, we're going out for a couple hours. I'll get the dishes when I get home."

"Don't worry about them, Bells. I can take care of it. Back by midnight, okay?"

It doesn't escape anyone's notice that Charlie is still trying to impose a curfew on her, despite her being 18 and about to get married and move out of the house. A curfew that never exists when Jacob comes to get her.

They nod at Charlie as they exit the house. Edward's opens the passenger door of his Volvo and she climbs in. He's peering into the woods.

"I wasn't sure you were coming tonight," she begins.

"I wasn't sure you wanted me to," he says quietly.

She looks at him, pleading with her eyes. "Of course I want you to. I always want to be with you."

He looks at her pointedly, hurt in his eyes. "Always?"

She reaches to put her hand on his knee, and tries unsuccessfully to steady her voice. "Always, Edward. Only you."

He's silent as he drives. She doesn't know what to say, or where they are going. Eventually he pulls into a darkened public park, and shifts the car into park. The wind has picked up. The trees lining the borders of the playground are starting to shift violently back and forth.

"My greatest wish is for you to be happy, Bella. But I am selfish. I want you to be happy with me." He is looking out the driver's side window, away from her.

She pleads, "I am happy with you, Edward. I want you, only you."

He looks crushed. "Not only me, Bella. I've known it ever since I returned, but last night..." His voice trails off into a whisper. His eyes are squeezed shut tight.

"It was just a dream, Edward," she insists, "It didn't mean anything." She lies, fully conscious of the act, lies to him and to herself. "I have crazy dreams, Edward, I always have. Most of them don't make any sense."

"You want him," his voice barely audible, still refusing to look at her.

"I want you more," she pleads. "It's just guilt, Edward, and frustration. That's all. I feel bad for breaking his heart, that's all. I've been feeling guilty for days."

"You've been having those dreams for days, Bella. I've been watching you. Wanting you. Trying to resist you. He was in all of them, wasn't he?" his voice is cracking.

She really, really doesn't want to talk about this. Not with him. Not with anyone. Except maybe Jacob himself, and she has already pushed him away.

She lies again, "I don't remember, Edward. I hardly remember them. They're nothing, Edward, they're just dreams. Nothing's happened between us. You know that. I'm yours." She is so glad he cannot read her mind.

Now he turns and looks her straight in the eye. His topaz eyes are hypnotizing. "Not yet, Bella, but soon, if you still want it."

"I do, Edward. I want nothing else in the world more. I only want you." If she says it often enough, she can will it to be true.

Rain starts to beat down on the car, thrumming around them. His eyes are fierce. He grabs onto her bare forearms. His hands are freezing cold and his grip is very firm. She wonders if she'll bruise. "I can make you mine. We don't have to wait. I'll walk away if you tell me to, Bella, but only if you make me go. You're my heart, Bella. I only exist for you. I can make you mine tonight."

She shrinks back against the seat. He's never looked desperate this way before. "What are you saying, Edward?" she asks with a whisper. She's afraid of the answer.

He pulls her forward against him, his lips against her ear. "Whatever you want, Bella. Whatever you need. You say the word."

She's been waiting for him to say those words for the entirety of their relationship. She's so used to him pulling away, restraining himself from her. She's not used to being handed the power. But it's too much, it's too soon. She is convinced that it's what she wants, but not right now. "What about the wedding, Edward? It's important to you. It's important to us," she insists. She still isn't sure what they're talking about. Making love? Being turned? She's fairly certain that he will do both, either, tonight, if she asks.

He relaxes infinitesimally and the circulation returns to her hands. "It is, Bella. I want you to be my wife. I want it while you are still human. But I want what you want more. Whatever it is it may be. I just pray that what you want is me."

"I sent him away, Edward. I already told him no."

He moves his hands to hold her own, tightly, but not enough to hurt. "Today? Just now?"

She can't speak. She can't think about Jacob. Can't talk about him now. She nods.

He slumps in relief, and his grip on her hands relaxes. "I smelled him on you, Bella. And I heard Leah in the woods, but her thoughts were a jumble. I thought... I thought you had changed your mind about me. About us. About your future."

_I did._ She hears the voice in her mind, and viciously silences it. "Never, Edward. I choose you. It's always been you. I told him again, tonight."

He nods, relieved, and presses his cold lips against her forehead. She shivers from the chill. "Thank God," he whispers. He pulls back again to look at her. "I'll make sure he stays away. I'll make sure he leaves you alone."

"No, Edward. You don't need to. I made myself clear tonight." _I said awful things. I broke his heart. I let him walk away._

They both draw in deep breaths. It's getting hard for her to hear him, the sound of the rain pounding against the roof of the car is so loud.

"I should take you home. Can I come tonight?"

She nods, staring at the storm outside the window. "I can't leave the window open in this weather. I'll just leave it unlocked?"

"That's fine." He turns the car on and they drive home in silence, his cold, hard hand wrapped around hers.

As she's falling asleep that night, holding herself stiffly wrapped in layers of blankets, a cold arm lying protectively across her, she remembers Charlie's package. She forgot to tell him about it, and she can't quite remember what she did with it. Probably he'll notice it on his own. It can't be anything urgent, otherwise it would have gone to the police station. She pushes the thought aside until the morning.

The hole in her chest aches.

_She approaches the little red house. It's dark, and still. She can feel the rain on her skin. It's cold, but doesn't bother her. She will be warm inside the house. She turns the knob and silence greets her. She peers in each open door. There is no one home. She goes to the garage. It's empty as well. She returns to the small, messy bedroom that smells like him. She removes her wet clothes, finds one of his old, soft tee shirts and slips it on. His earthy scent envelops her. Pine needles and summer rain. She finds an old quilt in his closet and places it on the bed. Without him here to warm it, it's too cold to sleep without more covers. She climbs into his bed and slides in. She falls asleep. He doesn't comes home._


	8. Chapter 8

Rating: MA

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stefenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Thursday

X-x-x-x-X

Bella wakes the next morning to the sound of the front door opening and closing. She feels unwell, almost nauseous, as if she only got an hour or two of sleep rather than seven. But without opening her eyes, she can tell it's light out. If Charlie is leaving, it must be close to 8:00 AM. She recalls her dream from the previous night. Her subconscious is being awfully literal right now. In the dream, she lay tossing and turning in his bed all night, waiting for him to return. He never did. She dozed off from time to time, and even recalls dreaming within her dream. The top layer of the dream was crystal clear, like the past few nights, only minus his presence. The sound of wind whistling in the eaves of the little red house, the pounding of rain that eventually slowed to a comforting patter, the soft brush of his well-worn sheets against her skin, the scent of Jacob surrounding her. The second layer of dreams is hazy and indistinct, and she can barely recall them. Being awake feels hazy and indistinct as well. She's sure Jacob was present in the second layer of dreams, though. She recalls both laughter and tears, and Jacob's warmth, and not much else. She wants to pull them up to the surface.

She wants to stay in bed longer, see if she can go back to sleep and get some real rest, or maybe return to the little red house, but her alarm is going off in a few minutes. She's expected at work. Suddenly, a cold hand lands on her forehead. She jumps at the touch and only manages not to fall out of bed because of the hard arms that quickly wrap around her. _Where are the warm hands, the soft strong arms?_ She immediately shoves the thoughts away. Her hair is brushed back off her forehead.

"Well, good morning, my love," he says, followed with a soft chuckle.

Her heart is racing. "Edward, you startled me." She pulls loose from his embrace. "I didn't realize you'd still be here this morning."

He looks out the window. "Your calm breathing soothed me. I didn't want to go. I hope you don't mind." What he means is: _You didn't dream about the dog last night, so you didn't drive me away._

"Of course not, Edward." She's eager to get out of the room, collect her thoughts, but he's moving toward her. She freezes.

He reaches across her to turn off her alarm. "It was about to go off. I didn't want it to startle you. You'd probably fall out of bed." He smiles warmly.

She laughs out her nervous tension, and tucks her hair behind her ear. "You've just turned off my signal to get ready. I'd better get myself together so I can go to work."

"Certainly, love. Do you mind if I make you breakfast?"

"Oh, you really don't need to do that. All I really want is something to drink, and maybe some toast."_ I don't think I can hold anything down._

_"_Nonsense. I want to take care of you. It will make me happy."

_Really, I think I'll throw up. _She smiles sheepishly. "Okay, but nothing big or fancy. I don't have much of an appetite today."

He looks thrilled at her acquiescence, almost a mirror image of the face Alice makes when Bella agrees to a makeover, and he leans forward to kiss her. Without thinking, she covers her mouth with her hand. "I'd like to brush my teeth first," she says, sheepishly_. _Once she's a vampire, she won't have to worry about such trivialities anymore. _Do they brush their teeth after they rip into into an animal's neck? I'll bet they get fur stuck between their teeth otherwise! _Her inner voice now sounds like Jacob, and she wills it to shut up.

Edward smiles indulgently down at her, and heads down the stairs to her kitchen. She heaves a sigh of relief and gets out of bed.

When she emerges in the kitchen, a rich, pungent aroma assaults her nose. Edward grins at her from his position at the stove.

"Take a seat, my love." He places a cup of coffee in front of her, as well as a glass of orange juice. "Freshly squeezed, my dear." He leans over to pour an unfamiliar-looking white cream into the coffee, filling it to the brim. She sips the juice. It's quite good, but she doesn't need so much to drink. He pushes the coffee toward her. "Alice found the most lovely irish creme flavored creamer from this little dairy outside Napa Valley. It's supposed to be wonderful." When did he run out to get this? He looks at her expectantly.

"Mmm," she replies. It's sickeningly sweet, and her tender stomach churns at the combination of acid from the juice, caffeine in the strong coffee, and thick dairy in the creamer. Edward aims his crooked smile at her.

He returns with a plate heaped with food. It's nearly enough to feed a werewolf. A small one, perhaps. Maybe Leah. Her eyes grow wide.

"Try it. It's one of Esme's recipes." He gestures toward the plate. Sitting there is a gigantic omelet. It looks to be at least four or five eggs, if not more, and is bursting at the seams with a melting white substance. Next to it are six strips of thick-cut bacon, two large sausage patties, and on a small side dish, two slices of thick crusty bread slathered in herb butter. To finish, Edward places a bowl of heavy cream filled with exotic pieces of fruit and powdered sugar on the table.

Bella thinks she could finish, perhaps, one slice of the bread. He watches her blinking at the feast before her. "I stepped out for a bit while you were sleeping. I wanted it to be a surprise."

It's very sweet, and Bella is touched by all the trouble that Edward went through, but it's at least three times as much food as she could eat even if she starved herself for a day to prepare for the meal. She pokes gingerly at the omelet, takes a bite, and discovers goat cheese and chives. "The cheese and the eggs are from an organic dairy farm out of southern Idaho, and the chives are from the farmers market in Port Angeles." It's one of the nicest things Edward has ever done for her. Unfortunately, she hates goat cheese, and the omelet is heavily oversalted. But it's a very good job for someone with no human sense of taste.

The last time Jacob cooked her an omelet, he used the entire carton of eggs. He made Billy a three egg omelet, no yolks, with ham. Bella's omelet contained two eggs, with yolks, and a sprinkling of Kraft cheddar cheese, and a few cubes of ham. Jacob's omelet contained all the remaining eggs, half the package of cheddar, and the rest of the ham. They had store brand whole wheat toast on the side. Billy took one slice with a little butter. Jacob put Smucker's grape jelly on a slice for Bella. He had 6 slices with butter and jelly. Jacob and Bella drank orange juice from a carton, but Jacob gave his father tea since the juice had too much sugar in it, and his blood sugar had been running a little high that morning. Bella wishes Jacob had cooked breakfast this morning, or that Edward had listened to her and just given her toast.

She smiles a large, fake smile at Edward, who is thrilled at her reaction. She takes a bite of the bread, which is slathered in the herb butter. Proudly, Edward announces, "The chives you already heard about, the parsley and tarragon are from our own herb garden, and the garlic from the farmers market as well." There is far too much parsley in the butter, and the garlic is not fully cooked, and is still a little crunchy.

"The meat is from a co-op farm in Oregon. The pigs are hormone and antibiotic free, and fed only grass." Bella gamely eats two slices of bacon, half a sausage patty, and as much of the omelet as she can stomach, which is actually starting to hurt. The meat would have tasted wonderful had she not already felt so ill.

Gratefully, she reaches for the fruit, and scoops out a spoonful. She discovers pineapple, guava, and passionfruit which are all ripe and ready to eat. If they weren't swimming in heavy cream and sugar, they would be quite good. She thanks Edward profusely, apologizes for wasting so much food, and manages not to get ill in front of him. Edward beams.

Bella is half an hour late to work. Mike tries to send her home because she looks so sick, but she refuses. An hour later she realizes that Edward thinks she enjoyed her meal, so it will probably be served to her again. She had damn well better be changed soon. Otherwise Edward's cooking will kill her.

For the next two nights, Edward stays in her room at night, and when she wakes, he is still there. She makes sure to get up while Charlie is still at home to avoid becoming the victim of Edward's unwitting culinary disasters.

She spends her evenings with Alice, pretending to care about table settings, flower arrangements, and color schemes. Alice flits about excitedly and Edward looks on indulgently. Charlie appears concerned and slightly irritated, but remains silent. Her life seems to be settling back to its normal state. She steadfastly refuses to think about what's missing. The hole in her chest grows larger.

Her dreams remain the same. She waits in Jacob's empty bedroom, wakeful, anxious, and waiting for him to arrive. She continues to fitfully drowse and dream within her dream. On Friday morning she grasps at rapidly fading images of black-haired, dark-skinned toddlers with her eyes. They're chasing each other through the trees of La Push, the fading sounds of Jacob's hearty laughter ringing in her ears. She sleeps eight or nine hours straight, peacefully and soundlessly if Edward is to be believed, but wakes feeling as tired as any insomniac.

The only exception is a brief dream she has on Friday night.

_She is seated on his bed, knees bent, feet tucked under his covers, holding his pillow tightly. She's curled around it, burying her face in his scent. When she looks up and out the window, instead of seeing his familiar backyard and the forest of LaPush, the sun is setting over a glittering lake. She goes outside to investigate. She follows the lake's edge until she reaches a large weeping willow, its branches trailing in the water. She parts the foliage and steps inside. Her heart flutters in her chest and a smile plays across her lips. At the base of the great trunk, her giant russet wolf is curled on the forest floor, its muzzle resting on its huge front paws. It is deeply asleep._

_Jacob. My Jacob._

_She steps forward and kneels in front of the great animal. She reaches out her hands. Feels the puffs of his hot breath on her fingertips. She gently strokes behind his ears. He does not stir. She buries her hands deep within his fur and feels for his heartbeat. Feels his trunk rise and fall with each breath. It calms her. It soothes her. She moves to tuck herself against his side, and for a brief time, falls deeply asleep. She is content._

She startles awake, and the night is still dark and deep. She blinks rapidly, tears forming in her eyes, an ache blossoming in her chest. Here in the darkness, pulled away from her peaceful slumber, she can admit it to herself, if only briefly. She longs for her wolf.

"Bella? Are you all right, love?" Edward calls out softly from his spot in her rocking chair.

"Just a dream, Edward. Just a dream." She rolls over, away from him.

_She returns to the little red house, but it is still and empty. The forest is still, and there is neither a lake nor a willow to be found._

X-x-x-x-X

Wednesday Night

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob is able to stay in wolf form nearly all the way to Port Angeles, as the trail he follows cuts through Olympic National Park. But when he reaches the borders of the forest, he is too conspicuous in his wolf form, and phases back into a man. He runs to Port Angeles on two feet, sticking to the shadows as much as possible so he can run as fast as possible, and hopefully not be seen to rouse suspicion. Although a giant, sprinting, shirtless Native American man in no shoes doesn't exactly blend in. The trail stops close to the water's edge, but does not go in. He makes his way east along the northern border of the Olympic peninsula, following along the Salish sea.

The vampire probably doesn't know it's being followed, so he's gaining ground slowly. But it hasn't made a lot of detours or stops, which is to Jacob's disadvantage. Especially since he's in human form for a lot of this journey, he can't go quite as fast. He phases to the wolf when he can, but this area of Washington is urban enough to make it nearly impossible, and so he loses speed. He wonders if he should have come on his bike. Worse yet, he has to run as hard as he can to stay ahead of the storm. It will catch up with him eventually, and will wash the scent of the trail away. His other fear is that the vampire will turn back into the ocean at some point. It could easily get to Vancouver Island from here.

By the middle of the night, he has reached Puget Sound. He has not been lucky enough to actually catch up to the vampire when the storm reaches him. He is crestfallen. There are dozens of inlets, bays, and small islands on the west side of the Sound. It will take him days to search the whole area, and if he does not find it here, and if he keeps to the coast, eventually he will make his way to the east side of the Sound and into Seattle. Then all his searching will have to be in human form, and will be even slower.

He pushes on through the storm. It does afford him some measure of cover in the darkness, and he is able to stay in wolf form longer than he expected. He is close to the leech; he can feel it. Their proximity means he is also able to track it without searching too hard as he runs south along the western shore of the Sound. And for a time, he is lucky enough to follow it as the wolf, when it detours slightly west through Olympic National Park.

Vaguely, he can hear his pack members encouraging him on. He pays enough attention to know that there is no danger at home which would force him to turn back, but otherwise tunes them out. He is grateful for the silence in his mind when he is forced to phase human.

When the sun rises the next day, the storm has passed over. He's approaching Tacoma, and the trail has somewhat degraded due to the the heavy rains. This area is urban enough, and the daylight hours are busy enough, that he has to explore the city on foot. At first he hopes to get away with looking like he's just on a long morning jog, but realizes he's garnering too many glances doing so without shoes, so he stops in a Wal Mart to buy shoes and a shirt. He supposes he should feel lucky that he's managed to keep his small wallet in the pocket of his shorts this whole time.

A startled, elderly greeter is standing at the entrance in orthopedic shoes, a beige cardigan, and courduroy skirt. She widens her eyes at his appearance as he enters the store. He's sure she's supposed to turn him away. No shoes, no shirt, no service. But a mixture of shock, intimidation, and a small amount of appreciation at his half naked form gets him past her, and by the time a manager appears to kick him out of the store, he has already made his way through the self-check scanners and is out the door. Now clothed, he stops to eat a tasteless breakfast in 5 minutes flat, and is on his way once more.

It's harder to follow the trail today, and slower going, but he manages. He realizes that even on two feet rather than four, he's moving much faster than a normal man should, but he can't bring himself to care. He's not planning on sticking around long enough to get caught. And he's honestly no longer sure if the scents he is picking up are old or new, but they definitely belong to the vampire he's looking for.

Late in the afternoon, he lucks out. The trail leads east out of town, and he heads for Mount Rainier National Park as a wolf. There is palpable relief at being able to change. He's been exhausting himself mentally trying not to think about Bella while trying to follow the degrading trail. As the wolf, the scent is easier to follow, and his despair is somewhat at bay.

When dusk comes on, he finds himself too tired to go on. It has been 36 hours since he last slept. He relieves his thirst on the edge of a small, crystal clear lake bordered by tall grasses. He refuses to let himself sleep for the night, but collapses on the forest floor under the shade of the trailing branches of a huge weeping willow. He drowses for a short time, perhaps an hour or two. Briefly, he feels as if there is something soft and warm curled up against his flank, but he is too tired to investigate. Before the moon rises back into the sky, he forces himself from his slumber and continues. The vampire does not need to sleep, so he cannot afford to do so.

The trail is becoming more faint with each passing hour, but is still there. It weaves east, west, and east again, but always in a northerly direction. The vampire has stayed within the confines of Mount Rainier National Park and North Cascades National Park, so he is able to stay in his wolf form. The trail bypasses Seattle altogether. He is thankful for the speed. He communicates with his packmates just enough to let them know he is all right, but tells them no more. It's easier to shield his thoughts from them at this distance. Late in the afternoon he needs to stop again for a brief rest by the bank of a stream, but again forces himself awake within a couple hours to continue his search. He hungers, but can't bring himself to kill any of the plentiful game around him. The man in him is still prominent within him, and shoves thoughts of his hunger away.

By Saturday, Jacob is in Canada, and his luck runs out. The vampire trail is leading west again, toward the coast. Toward Vancouver. The vampire will easily lose him in the city. At midday, the skies begin to cloud. An hour later, another heavy rain begins to fall. The scent entirely washes away.

Despondent and exhausted, Jacob phases back to human on the outskirts of the metropolis. He is filthy and his shoes are long gone, but his wallet has miraculously stayed in his shorts, still tied to his ankle. He marches into the first suburban superstore he finds, and uses the same technique of bold disregard for store policy to obtain fresh clothing and shoes. He finds a dingy, old fashioned diner that reminds him of the diner back in Forks, and orders almost everything on the tiny menu. The other customers give him a wide berth, and he finishes as quickly as he can. He asks his waitress, a middle aged woman with huge hair who has been blatantly gawking at him for the duration of his meal, where the cheapest, closest motel is located, and she points him down the street. He tips her well.

Directly outside the office to the run down motel, a prostitute swaying on purple platform shoes and poured into a skintight vinyl minidress tries to get Jacob to take her back to his room. He can't decide if she's 15 years old going on 40, or if she's 40 trying to look like she's 15, and either way was probably ruined by drugs, alcohol, or the wrong man, or more likely, by all three. He gently removes her hand from his arm. Ah, so that's the sort of establishment this is. He thinks to himself that it is probably in his price range.

The bored desk clerk barely even looks at Jacob while renting him a room. A giant Native man, filthy from head to toe, but wearing brand new clothes (he belatedly realizes he hasn't pulled the tags off), with not a single piece of luggage. Doesn't startle the clerk at all. He is interested in the credit card only, and hands Jacob a key to room 128.

Jacob carefully avoids the prostitute on his way to the room. It's tiny, although it does boast a queen sized bed (ancient, squeaky, collapsing in the middle, covered in a hideous green paisley bedspread), a dresser, a television, and nothing else. He stares at the bed, turns to stare at the bathroom, and decides that even though the room is filthy, he will make it even filthier by lying in the bed in his current state. He briefly considers lying on the floor to spare the bed of his dirt. But a hot shower sounds wonderful to his sore body. He is pleasantly surprised to find that there is both water pressure as well as hot water, and washes the filth from his skin.

At six oclock in the evening, he yanks the filthy bedspread off the bed and onto the floor. At least the sheets underneath are clean. Jacob falls naked into the bed. On the other side of the wall above his head, a woman is yelling incoherently at a man. It could be the prostitute. He's not sure. They have turned the television volume up, thinking that it will mask their words. If he paid any attention at all, he would easily determine that she thinks he gave her venereal disease, and he thinks she gave it to him. He wouldn't even need his heightened wolf senses to distinguish every word of their battle. On the opposite wall there is relative silence. One junkie has just rendered another junkie unconscious so as to ease the process of stealing their mutually acquired score. So it's rather quiet now, except for the incessant ringing of one of their phones. Normally it would be difficult to fall asleep under such circumstances. Right now, it is not. Jacob dreams.

_The room falls silent. Jacob hears a squeak as he feels the side of the bed dip down next to his prone body. The scent of strawberries and vanilla wafts over him. A soft, small hand reaches out for his upper arm, holding him right on top of his tattoo. The hand gently tugs him onto his back. The corners of his lips turn up, just barely. He opens his sparkling black eyes to meet her deep brown ones, shining with tears._

_Her voice breaks. "Where have you been?"_

"_I'm right here." He smiles._

"_You're here?"_

_He opens his arms. "I'm here."_

_Bella falls into his embrace._


	9. Chapter 9

Rating: MA

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stefenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Saturday

X-x-x-x-X

On Saturday, Angela Weber stops into Newton's just as Bella is about to go on her lunch hour. She's picking up a portable lantern for her father. They haven't seen each other since graduation, and Bella feels a little guilty for not seeking out her friend. On the spot, they decide to go to lunch together, and head for a cafe down the street.

"Sorry I haven't been good about keeping up," Bella begins, stirring her soda with her straw.

Angela smiles warmly. "Well, you've got to be pretty busy planning that wedding. Between working at Newton's and doing that, I can't imagine you have a lot of time left over."

"Alice is really doing most of the planning. I'm just her assistant." Angela sees right through her attempt at levity.

Angela cocks a brow and tilts her head to the side. "Isn't it every girl's dream to plan their wedding? Well, maybe not every girl. It's not one of my dreams, anyway."

Bella smiles back. "Me neither. I really never wanted a big production."

"Are you getting one? A big production, I mean?"

Bella shakes her head ruefully. "You know Alice Cullen. She doesn't do small."

Angela frowns a bit. "Are you getting the wedding you want, Bella?"

"Oh, it's not a big deal. I care about the groom, and the date. The rest is just a bunch of extras. It makes her happy, and that makes me happy. "

Angela says quietly, "That's very kind of you, Bella. I won't pry, but you just don't look very excited. Just imagine if Jessica or Lauren was telling you about their wedding. You'd never get a word in edgewise."

This isn't good. Now not only is she having trouble getting excited, but faking excitement as well. Bella looks down at the table. Shreds her napkin in her hand. "I'm just tired, that's all."

Angela is too perceptive for her own good. "And I'll bet you're worried about your friend. What's his name, Jacob? I heard he was hurt pretty badly in a motorcycle accident."

Bella feels the hole in her chest opening wider at Angela's words.

"I don't really know him much, Bella. But he makes you laugh. I figure anybody who makes you light up the way he does is a person worth keeping around. How's he doing, anyway?"

She doesn't know what to say. How to respond. "Um, he's a quick healer. I haven't had the chance to see him much, though."

"That's too bad. You guys are pretty close."

Her inner voice sounds suspiciously like Jacob. _We were. We should be._ "Like you said, between the wedding and work, I don't get a chance to get down there much, and right now he can't exactly come to see me."

"I'm sure he understands." Angela pats her hand reassuringly.

Bella tries not to let her devastation show on her face. Angela, being Angela, picks up on Bella's discomfort, and changes the subject. Their sandwiches arrive, and Angela starts up a running commentary about their schoolmates' summer and college plans. Soon enough, Bella's lunch hour is over, and she rises, and Angela says she hopes to see Bella again before her wedding. She hugs Angela tightly and agrees. They part ways. Then it hits her. Jacob's voice speaks again in her mind. _You might never see her again after the wedding._ It stops her in her tracks. Then she takes the short walk back to Newton's.

Alice appears at her doorstep after she gets home, a bundle of color swatches and catalogues in her arms. They look vaguely familiar, but she can't be sure. They sit at her kitchen table and Alice spreads everything out before them.

"So, what did you decide?"

_Didn't you do this already?_ "Um, I thought we figured this out last week."

"Silly Bella, we narrowed it down. Today I brought only brought swatches in the color family you chose."

Bella looks down. The shades of purple all look identical to her, so she stalls by pushing them in circles. Alice not so subtly fingers one in particular and gently pushes it toward her. She resists the urge to roll her eyes, and picks it up.

"Yay, I knew you'd pick the right one!" She beams at Bella, looking for all the world like a mother whose baby has just take it's first steps. Now Bella can't resist the urge to roll her eyes.

"Oh, don't be that way, Bella. It's your wedding! I want you to love everything about it!"

_Then you should replace the groom!_ She tells her inner Jacob to be quiet.

They spend the next hour pouring over Alice's books, Bella nodding and agreeing wherever it seems appropriate, and otherwise making choices somewhat at random. She's still convinced that they did this already.

She's rescued when Charlie arrives home with a cooler full of fresh fish, cleaned and gutted. She gladly takes the fish from him to prepare, and Charlie invites Alice to dinner. She gives her regrets and heads out the door. Bella finds herself relieved until Charlie pipes up.

"She's enthusiastic, isn't she?"

"Yeah, it's a good thing. If it were left to me, we'd probably be getting married at the Justice of the Peace, and no one would be invited. Except for the parents, of course." She hears Jacob's voice in her head again. _If it were up to me, there would be no wedding at all._

"Your mom told me that you once told her you were going to get married at First Beach."

She freezes. What's he talking about? And when do Charlie and Renee talk?

"Yeah. You used to love going down there with her when you were little. She thought you had a real connection with the place. There was this spot near the far end of the beach where you and Jacob would go play in the tidepools, find starfish and urchins, things like that. One day the twins were playing some sort of wedding make believe game, and you declared that the beach was the perfect place for a wedding."

_You have no idea. _What Charlie doesn't know is that once she made the declaration, Jacob put his little hand in hers and asked if she was going to be the bride, could he be the groom? She's pretty sure she said yes, if he was grown up enough. She'd replied that the man needed to be taller than the woman, so once he got taller than her, if he ever did, she'd marry him there. At the time she wasn't sure that he ever would be bigger than she.

"Which reminds me. Billy said they got your invitation in the mail on Wednesday."

Oh God. Wednesday. The last time she saw him. Did he get it before or after he came to see her?

"He said thanks, but they're not sure if Jake will be up and around by then. Sounds like the kid still isn't doing so hot."

Quietly, she asks, "Did you see him?" She's not sure if she wants to know the answer.

"Nah. Door was shut when I got there. It was still pretty early. He was probably still sleeping."

She remains quiet, so he pushes no further. They both know he wants to tell her to visit Jacob, and they both know there's no point. She's made up her mind.

Charlie's smile is wide when she sets the fish down on the table. "You know, I've been catching and cooking fish for years before you were even born. But something about the way you make this, Bells, well, you'd better promise to come back and cook it for me at least every couple years. Okay?"

"Of course, Dad," she lies. This time, her inner Jacob voice is conspicuously silent.

After doing the dishes, Bella heads up the stairs. "I think I'm going to turn in early tonight. I haven't been sleeping all that well."

Charlie looks surprised. "You've been pretty quiet for the last few nights, Bells. I thought meant the nightmares passed. No such luck, huh?"

Bella considers what to say. The dreams aren't nightmares, strictly speaking. But she's not exactly enjoying the dreams that consist of waiting in Jacob's room. A sense of desperate longing and loneliness eats away at her. She tosses and turns in his bed, getting not a wink of solid, restful slumber.

The only exception was the all-too-brief interlude with the wolf by the lake. She can picture the scene exactly. The water was crystal clear, the sun shining off the smooth surface. The willow reached its tendrils into the water. She can almost feel the great wolf's breath on her face, the rich softness of its fur between her fingers. For all too brief a time, she was at peace. She hopes to find it again tonight.

"Hopefully tonight is better. See you in the morning." She disappears into her room.

Edward is waiting for her there, staring intently out the window. "Good evening, Bella. Did you have a good time with Alice tonight?"

He looks distracted, and still hasn't turned to face her.

"We got a lot done today, I think."

He doesn't respond. It makes her nervous. Something has him distracted. "Edward, what's wrong?"

He turns toward her, planting a reassuring smile on his face. "Oh, nothing, my love. Leah Clearwater has just arrived for patrol. Her mind is very... dark. It distracted me."

She doesn't know how much she should ask. "Is there any news?"

"Nothing of note." She doubts this is the case, but doesn't know how to get more information out of him. He'll tell her when he's ready, or not at all. He continues, scowling, "I don't know why they insist on being here overnight. It's one thing for them to be here when I'm not nearby to watch over things, but their presence here overnight is, at best, unnecessary." She knows he wants to say worse, but is being polite for her sake.

"They're only trying to help, Edward. You know that."

His lips are in a tight line, and he nods. "I would just like some privacy from time to time, and some peace and quiet. When I hear one of them, I hear the thoughts of any that are phased, and it's a bit much. They're not exactly the most well-mannered creatures. I will tolerate them if I must, but do not expect more."

Bella knows the feeling is mutual. She's declared herself Switzerland, but what will happen once she's turned? Will she have an uncontrollable, visceral reaction to the wolves, just as the Cullens do? She hopes she will at least be able to maintain a friendship with Seth. She refuses to think about it further.

"Nothing else is going on, Edward?" She knows there's more. Can read it plainly on his face.

He relaxes and places what he means to be a reassuring hand on her shoulder. The grip is too firm, and very cold. "All's quiet on the western front, Bella." He changes the subject, and she knows asking further will be futile. "You look a bit tired, darling. I heard you tell your father that you'll turn in a bit early tonight?"

She nods and moves to get pajamas out of her drawer. It's summer, and rather warm outside, but she then recalls the chill of his hand on her arm, and switches them for a heavy flannel pair, and goes to the bathroom to change.

When she returns, he's sitting on the edge of her bed and staring straight ahead. He looks like a statue until he stands to let her get under the covers. He tucks an extra quilt around her, and slides in next to her. "May I hold you tonight, my love?"

She isn't thrilled by the idea of his marble arms around her. "Of course you can, Edward." He pulls her under the crook of his arm, and she wishes there was a way to put a pillow under her head, on top of his hard, cold skin, but he would be so hurt, so she does not. She expects to be awake for a long time, since she's rather uncomfortable, but surprises herself by drifting off to sleep as she hears him whisper, "Goodnight, my love, my heart."

_She approaches the little red house. It's unlit and still. Something is a bit different about it tonight. As she gets closer she can see. There is the sheen of metal lettering on the door. How odd. That's never been there before. She comes up close enough to touch the unfamiliar door attached to the familiar red house. It looks like it used to be red, but has faded into a nondescript brown color. Tarnished brass plate numbers hang from its surface. 128._

_She places a hand on the knob, and is surprised to feel that the metal is warm to the touch. She places her flat palm on the surface of the door. Even though it's made of wood, it's warm as well. It's inviting. She's so cold right now. She wants the extra warmth, but she's afraid the way will be locked to her. She stands for several minutes, not moving, afraid to turn the knob only to find her way barred. Or worse yet, that she will open it to find another empty room._

_She's trembling now. She doesn't know if she can be alone again tonight. There is a false angel whispering to her, saying tempting words that jangle in her ear. She needs his soft, husky voice to bring her back to earth. She needs his gentle, strong arms around her, to hold her together and keep her safe. Keep her here in this world. And there's a chill that she can't get rid of. She wants to burrow into his heat before the cold spreads through all her bones._

_A cold breeze blows across her face. She needs to get into the room now. She opens the door and steps in. She closes the door._

_The smell of home flows over her. Rainwater and pine needles. It's dark, but she has no difficulty spying the figure on the bed, lying curled on his side, facing away from her. She breathes a sigh of relief. She takes a second to look around. The room is small and dingy. The walls are covered in wood panelling from another era. He has tossed the ugly bedspread to the floor. The furniture is minimal, just an old dresser with an ancient television bolted to its surface. There's a phone screwed into the wall. There isn't even a nightstand, but there is a small bathroom off to the side. It's small and ugly. She's never been here in her life, but it's home, because he is in it._

_She steps toward the bed and puts her knee on the edge. It sags beneath her minimal weight, and creaks in protest. He has a sheet wrapped around his waist, and nothing else. She places his hand on his arm, on his tattoo, and gently rolls him onto his back. He looks like he's about to smile. He opens his eyes. She can tell he's happy to see her. She's so relieved, she might be crying. She's not sure. She's been so worried about him. She's been so alone._

_Her voice breaks. "Where have you been?"_

"_I'm right here." He smiles._

"_You're here?"_

_He opens his arms. "I'm here."_

_Bella falls into his embrace._

_For long minutes, he just holds her. She's trembling a little in his arms, so he grips her tighter. He's lying on his back, her body pressed against his side, head tucked under his chin, one hand curled into a fist pressed between their bodies, the other gripping his shoulder tightly. She feels so right in his arms._

_He feels a few warm tears fall onto his neck, and he strokes her hair gently. "What's wrong, honey?"_

_She is quiet for several seconds. "I've missed you. I went to your house, and you weren't there."_

_He gently pulls her up, and gently kisses the tears from her cheeks. He struggles to remember the past few days, but his memories are all a jumble. He tells her the only thing he remembers, "I left to make you safe."_

"_From that?" she gestures to the window, shut with a heavy curtain. Just outside the door is a chill, a cold presence waiting to claim her._

_He looks toward the window. It's too dark to see anything, and the curtain is pulled tightly at any rate. "You need to resist it, honey. To stay with me." He a hand to gently grip the base of her skull. "And there's more than just that," he nods at the window, "that I have to protect you from. But we're safe in here." He brings her face down to his so he can place a sweet, soft kiss on her lips._

_She wants to get closer, wants to be completely surrounded by him, but doesn't know how to get any closer than she already is. She tilts her nose into the crook of his neck and breathes him in. It steadies her. Calms her. As long as she stays here with him, she's safe._

_She starts to relax. She repeats, "You're here."_

_He chuckles, "And so are you," and lowers one of his hands to rub soothing circles into the small of her back. She feels him drop small kisses into her hair as she drifts off to sleep, finally warm._

_A few hours later she rises to awareness slowly. She feels more rested than she has in days. A short nap in his arms is more refreshing than all night in his bed without him. She wonders offhandedly when was the last time she slept in her own bed. The night he crawled in her window? If Jacob isn't in her bed, there's no draw to it. Now that she's found him again, she's not letting him go._

_They're in basically the same position they were in when they fell asleep, except one of his large hands is cradling her bottom, while her arm has shifted to wrap around his waist. His breathing is deep and even._

_She lifts her head to look at him in the dim light from the streetlamp outside. The drawn curtains let very little light through. The cold presence outside is still there, waiting for her, but somehow she knows it can't get in. She's safe with Jacob. He looks so peaceful. She reaches up to stroke the side of his face. He sighs and tilts closer to her hand, but doesn't awaken. She trails her fingers down his neck. She feels his reassuring, steady pulse. She moves her hand down to his chest, and watches it rise and fall with his even, slow breaths, and then moves down to stroke her fingers along his abdominal muscles. Left to right and back again. She leans down to kiss along his clavicle, and smiles when she sees him stiffen under the thin sheet. His grip tightens on her buttock, and she looks up at him._

_His eyes are open, and he's peering at her through his lashes. She glances at his full mouth and wants to taste him. She scoots up so she can brush her lips against his, lightly. They part for her, and she slides her tongue out to trace lightly along his bottom lip. His breathing grows heavy, and he settles her so she's straddling his hips._

_She can feel him lengthening against her core, through the fabric of her pants. Having him underneath her this way, feeling the effect she has on him, makes her feel strong. Desirable. He could overpower her in seconds. If he wanted to, he could flip her over, tear her clothes from her body, and take whatever he wanted. Do anything he wanted. There is nothing she could do to stop him. But they both know that she's new at this, and the last thing he wants in the world is to hurt her, or scare her. He wants only to please her. To worship her. Against her lips, he whispers, "I want what you want, baby. I want you to feel good."_

_She kisses him more deeply as he squeezes her ass with both hands, moving her to grind against him, and he catches her moans with his mouth._

_He shifts his right hand to brush his fingers against her flank, where he knows she is sensitive. It sends tingles up and down her back as she continues to rock against him. She's starting to soak through her pants. He can smell her, and feel her, and the evidence of her desire heightens his arousal even further. "I can feel you, baby, I can feel what you want. I want it too. So bad." She wants to hear more of what he has to say, it's such a turn on. But she can't stop kissing him either, and needs his lips on hers._

_Neither of them can stand to tease or be teased tonight. They've been apart for too long. They can both feel the chill outside the window, and know their time together is limited. Come morning, she will be gone._

_She breaks away long enough to unbutton her shirt and pull it off her shoulders. She relishes his blatant stare as he takes her in. "You are so, so sexy, sweetheart." Sweetheart, baby, honey, she loves hearing them in his husky, low voice. "Come back," he reaches for her, "I need to taste you." He shifts her up, unfortunately off his erection, so he can take her right nipple between his lips, and smiles to hear the noises she makes as he flicks it with the tip of his tongue. He keeps his left hand wrapped around her waist, and reaches his right thumb to stroke her other nipple lightly, feels it harden in his hand, and tortuous heat winds through her body and into her core._

_He plays with her breasts with his lips, his tongue, his hands, but she needs more. She's burning, trembling, aching to be as close to him as possible. She needs all of him tonight. She moves off him to shuck off her pants, and settles upon him upright to rock her core against his hardness. They both groan at the contact. Her clit is throbbing, aching, and his cock sliding against it sends waves of pleasure through her with each pass. She can't stand her body being apart from his, and leans forward so she can kiss him as she moves above him. He tangles his hand in her hair to keep her lips on his. He relishes the way her soft breasts press against his chest. He keeps one hand on her ass to guide her movements over his cock, to try to increase the pressure as much as possible._

_He's so close to where he really wants to be. Her soft flesh feels wonderful against him. Her soft cries entice him. He loves that he can bring her such pleasure. He needs to be surrounded by her heat. Can barely wait for her to be ready so he can fuck her deep and slow, but he doesn't want to hurt her. He knows how tight she is, wants so badly to feel her body clenching around his. But he also knows that he's big, and even if he wasn't, her first time would hurt anyway. He can't stand that the most blissful experience of his life will be marred by her pain._

_But Bella can't worry about that right now. She's climbing higher and higher with each shift of her hips. In this position, her pussy dragging against his cock makes him feel almost as good as it does her. She relishes their mutual pleasure. His arms are tight against her, keeping her close. She feels loved and desired._

_He knows she's close. He wants to send her over the edge, wants to feel her shiver above him. He knows how much the sound of his voice arouses her, can feel and smell the rush his words produce, so he starts to murmur against her. "Do you feel good, baby? Do you like my cock rubbing up against your pussy?"_

_She whimpers an assent._

"_Me too, honey. You're so wet, baby. So hot."_

_She rocks faster, angles her hips down a bit, and can't suppress her moans any longer._

"_Do you want me to make you come, sweetheart?"_

_Oh god. A hissed, "Yesss."_

_He turns her head, licks the sensitive spot behind her ear, and with his other hand reaches between their bodies and twists her nipple. "Then come now."_

_She obeys._

_He almost orgasms in response to her body's movement on his. But he keeps himself in check. He will take her tonight. He can't wait another day, and neither can she._

_He flips her onto her back as she comes down from her high. She arches her back to press her breasts against his chest. She doesn't want him apart from her, not for a second._

"_I'm ready." Her voice is calm and low. "I want you."_

"_Mmmm," he murmurs. "You want me inside you, baby? You want me to make you come with my cock?"_

_Ohhhhh. She bites her bottom lip and nods. A vision flashes in his mind of her hovering over his face, the same expression on her face, his finger deep inside her, his tongue swirling. He wants to do it again._

_He shifts above her, slides his cock against her clit again, hears her moan. He licks her lips gently. "Not yet, honey. I'm gonna fuck you with my hand. I'm gonna eat you out. Then I'm gonna take you, honey, and I'm gonna come inside you."_

_As he slides down her body, he hears his new favorite words, "God, Jacob. Yes. I want it. I want you."_

_He tugs her so she's right on the edge of the bed, and he kneels and pulls her legs over his shoulders. He doesn't tease her any longer. Neither of them can take it. He grips her hip in his left hand and immediately slides one finger into her cunt. He pumps gently at first._

"_Your pussy is so soft, honey. It's so pretty." She whimpers. He adds a second finger, still pumping._

"_I love that you shave, baby. You look so good." She squirms and bucks on his hand. He thrusts his hand harder._

"_You're so tight. You're gonna feel so good on my cock." Her head is thrashing from side to side, her fists balling the sheets with a death grip. He curls his fingers, and she comes apart. He doesn't let her come down. He keeps stroking within her, keeps curling his fingers into the spot that makes her crazy._

"_I want you to do that again." He adds a third finger and thrusts deeply, and adds his tongue. She keeps coming, and coming, stars behind her closed eyes, overcome by overlapping waves of pleasure._

_He laps at her clit, causing shocks of pleasure with each pass. She's nearly in tears, bucking against his hand and face. He keeps licking and thrusting until she finally begs, "Fuck me, Jacob. I can't take it any more. Fuck me."_

_So he does._

_Neither of them notice the temperature of the room rise as the cold shadow moves away from the window._

_He's as gentle as possible. He picks her up and places her back in the middle of the bed, and crawls on top of her. She's still having the aftershocks of orgasm, so when he slides just the head of his cock inside her, then stills, it triggers another wave over her._

_Oh, god. Now he's about to come, feeling the pulsing of her body on him. And he's barely in at all. He holds himself still until she comes back to earth. He nuzzles her nose with eskimo kisses, and brushes his lips against her cheeks. It gives him time to gather himself back together. He pulls out, pushes back in, just a little farther this time._

_She watches his face. His beautiful lips open on a great sigh, his eyes slide shut. He is tensed in concentration. He rocks in and out, still quite shallow, gentle as can be. He prepared her body well, between tongue and lips and hand, she's as aroused in a way she didn't think possible. She knows he wants to thrust deeply but is holding himself back for her sake. The past few nights have proved what she already knew: her pleasure is much more important to him than his own._

_The shallow rocking feels wonderful. Just knowing what he's doing, and about to do, turn her on. She's ready for more, and tells him so._

_The heat of him, the size of him, causes her to burn. It hurts, but she needs more. She gasps as he stretches her body to new limits. He pauses, seated within her, and marvels at her body. He props himself on his left arm and brushes the thumb of his right hand against her nipple._

_"Ooooh," she sighs. "More." So he takes advantage of the fact that he's still rather shallow, and tilts up on his knees a bit. From this angle he can drag his cock against her engorged clit with each thrust, and she gasps._

_"Like that?" he asks._

_"Mmmmhmmm," she mumbles, unable to gather words._

_"Still want more?" he groans._

_She still can't quite figure out how to talk, and nods, biting her bottom lip. He slides forward, and makes it about halfway in. He stills so she can get used to him, and relishes her gentle pulse around him. He knows he's starting to hurt her, though, and it keeps him from losing control._

_For her the burn is intense, the pain starting to overtake the pleasure, and she starts to worry. She knows he's not in all the way. Not even close. She squirms a bit underneath him, trying to find a comfortable position, but instead causes a delicious friction that distracts her from the pain. She reaches down to grasp his buttocks. He relinquishes control to her, holding himself still above her, realizing she's bringing herself pleasure on his shaft._

_She's too unused to his girth to enjoy any more thrusting right now, but this gentle twisting of her hips allows her the dual pleasure of the gentle massage of his cock on her inner walls, and the pressure of his shaft on her clit. She begins to whimper as she moves around him, and it takes everything he has not to pound into her hard and fast. He manages to hold himself still and let her work herself on his body. He distracts himself by lowering his mouth to hers to capture the erotic sounds she's making._

_After a few agonizing minutes of his superhuman self control, trying his best to ignore the clenching of her pussy around his cock, he reaches between their bodies to gently twist her nipple, and she comes again, crying out, milking him, her already tight passage locking down on his cock. She sees stars._

_It undoes him, and he buries himself inside her. "I have to... I have to... Unhhhhh." He can't hold back any longer. She's still coming. He pulls almost all the way out, and firmly, slowly, slides back in, all the way to the hilt. He stops himself, worried that his size is hurting her, but she's still spasming around him, back arched, head thrown back, wailing._

"_I'm going to fuck you now, Bella. Is that okay?" _

_He manages to wait for her to groan, "Ohhhhhhhhhh, please," and then his thrusts begin. _

_Nothing will ever be better than this. She wraps her legs around him loosely, to allow him room to move. He slides in and out a few more times before setting a steady rhythm, firmly pushing in all the way before pulling out. He keeps up slow pace, still careful with her tender body._

"_Am I hurting you, baby, or does it feel good?"_

"_Mmmmm, Jacob. It hurts, it does, and it feels so damn good."_

_The slide of him in and out is delicious. She wasn't lying, it does hurt. It stretches her more than she's ever been stretched. "You're so big, Jacob," she moans. She feels so filled by him, so satisfied. Maybe if she hadn't already come so many times it the pain would just feel like pain, but orgasm after orgasm has primed her for pleasure. Her whole body is humming. The lovely ache radiates out from her center all the way out, to her legs, to her arms, even to her scalp. _

_She wants. "It feels wonderful, Jacob, it does. I want more."_

_He lets out a strangled noise. "Like (thrust)... this? (thrust)," he grunts in between firmer, faster thrusts._

_When he hits her cervix with force, a whole new layer of sensation opens up in her body. "Mmm... yeah... unh... yeah... just... unh... more." _

_Damn. If she wants it harder, he's not going to last much longer. "Okay," he says, as he lowers his right arm to pull her left leg over his shoulder. He needs to get himself under control, since the last few deep thrusts have him about to come apart. "You want it harder?" He stills himself as she nods, and talks to her to keep her keyed up. His voice is a growl._

"_You want to come one more time, baby?"_

"_Yes," she whispers._

"_You want me to pound my cock into you?"_

"_Ohhhhh..."_

"_You want me to fuck you hard?"_

"_Please! Please! Move!" she demands._

"_Your wish is my command." He pulls all the way out, nearly slipping out of her, and shoves himself back in. All. The. Way. She wails. He rams into her, again and again and again, his thrusts harder and deeper every time. He struggles to keep his eyes open, to see her when she comes apart around him, as he shoves and pistons into her body. He's about to come any second now, so in desperation he adds a twist to his hips as his hips meet hers. The drag against her clit. The pounding pressure on her cervix. The aching stretch of his huge cock. Her world shatters, and as he feels her body stiffen and arch against his, he allows his thrusts to finally, finally degenerate into wild fucking, and he explodes seconds after her with a great roar._


	10. Chapter 10

Rating: MA for violence

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stefenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Sunday

X-x-x-x-X

A clap of thunder startles Bella to consciousness, and to a freezing room. Why is there a cold breeze? She hears driving rain. It sounds much too close. She wants to burrow further under her blankets and return to room 128. Wherever that is. Instead, she cracks an eye open to find the room empty, the window wide open, rain soaking her desk. As she realizes she's alone, and in the wrong room, the hole in her chest reopens. Jacob had healed her last night, had reminded her what it felt to love and be loved. But it never actually happened because she drove him away.

She's not sure when Edward left, but he must have been in a hurry in order to leave her window wide open with a storm on the way. She recalls her intimate dream and flushes despite the chill. She hurries out of bed to close the window, and then dives back under the covers. She needs a warm, soft body in the bed to warm her up. Not a cold, hard one. She needs her best friend to warm the chill of her heart and of her body. But she hurt him. She said awful, untrue things and can't she unsay them. She wants to go to LaPush. Wants to find him and say she's sorry. Wants to kiss it better. Wants to make it up to her with her words and her body.

As she feels the ache in her chest, she feels a different ache between her legs. Jacob can complete her like no one else can. She's not sure how she knows, but is fairly certain that her dreams are accurate. Jacob would learn to bring her pleasure with the same focus and care he would take with her heart.

She's becoming aroused thinking about it. She can't help but be glad she's alone. Edward would doubtless make her feel self conscious about her body's responses, and he would (accurately) assume she was thinking about Jacob. She flashes back to the night before. She's actually a little embarrassed at how generous her imagination was with him. His length, his girth, his heat. She wonders what he really looks like. She's tempted to slip her hand beneath her waistband, but she's never sure when Edward will climb in her window. She considers parts of Jacob she doesn't have to imagine. She licks her lips as he thinks of his own. God, his mouth. It's no wonder she has conjured such explicit fantasies about him going down on her. His full lips and pink tongue were made for kissing, for licking, for biting. For whispering things in her ear to make her blush. His mouth on her body was perfection.

She has to stop this train of thought before it gets entirely out of hand. She really has no idea if Edward is coming back. She's fairly certain he left the night before due to her explicit dream, but he was also distracted before she went to bed. Something is going on. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been a wolf on patrol outside her home. She wants to know what it is. Edward won't tell her, she's sure of it, and she can't exactly call Jacob up and casually ask him. None of the Cullens will go against Edward if he wants her left in the dark. Maybe she can figure out if a wolf is outside now, and drag it out of them. That is, if they're speaking with her after what she's done to Jacob. Maybe she can also find out how he is.

She wants to see him, but isn't ready to fully give herself over to him, although she's now figuring out how badly she wants to. She's torn, because she can no longer fool herself into believing that her love for Jacob is any less than her love for Edward. But nothing else has changed. The Volturi will still come. Jacob might still imprint on someone else and leave her someday. And she still has no idea how to be without Edward. Or how to give up his family. So she wants to go to Jacob, let him fill the dark places of her heart, but can't tell him what he wants to hear. She knows she's being selfish and cruel. She need to either choose him and be with him, or she needs to let him go. She has no idea how to either.

She decides to start with the hopefully simpler task of figuring out what's going on. As much as the wolves probably hate her, they're honest with her, brutally so, so she'll start with them.

She quickly showers and dresses, heading to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. Maybe she can bribe the wolf with a dry place to stay and a warm beverage. It's awful outside, 108.9 body temperature or not. Charlie is gone to the station already, so she can invite them in. First, she had to figure out who it is. Paul's not coming in, no matter what she says or does, and she doesn't think she can face Leah. So she peers out the window, intently searching the forest for signs of a wolf. It's hard to see very deep into the foliage on a good day, and in this storm is nearly impossible. She spends long, painful minutes staring before a sandy wolf appears at the treeline and tilts his head at her quizzically. Finally, some luck! She breathes a sigh of relief.

She opens the back door and calls out to him. He steps away briefly, returning in human form, and she waves him over.

"Bella, do you need something? You've been staring out here for, like, ten minutes."

"Come on in, Seth, and get dry."

He looks back into the woods before shrugging and following her in, leaving a puddle on the kitchen floor. She goes to get him a towel. She hands it to him, and he accepts it gratefully, running it rapidly over his hair. When he hands it back, she tries to plaster a fake smile on her face. "Coffee?"

He turns to look at the coffeemaker. "Um, sure. Okay."

She wonders if he's as mad at her as she expected all the other wolves to be. She had hoped that Seth would be easier to talk to, Seth who seems to like Edward perfectly well, who's usually free and easy and ready with a smile. "Cream or sugar?"

"Yeah, okay, uh, both?" Why is he asking her? She really thought it would be easier to talk to Seth.

She hands it to him, and he stares intently into the cup and sips at it slowly. "Thanks, this is good."

She decides to start on an easy topic. "It's, like, literally the least I could do. I wanted to thank you for what you did for me, Seth."

"Oh, yeah, of course. Sure. It's nothing." He's still looking into his coffee cup. This is getting her nowhere.

"It's not nothing, Seth. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead. I'm grateful to all of you, of course, but if Edward had been the only one with me on that mountaintop, well, I doubt he could have fought off both those vampires at once. You put yourself on the line for me, and I need to thank you."

He's still not meeting her eyes. "No, it's no big deal. It's what we're made for. And there's basically no situation possible in which Ja..." He stumbles over Jacob's name, "Uh, in which we would have left you up there without one of us as backup. It just happened to be me." He's still looking everywhere but at her. "But, you know, you're welcome."

Okay, this isn't going well. Seth puts the empty cup into the sink. He looks like he's trying to leave already. She abruptly stops him. "Seth, why are you guys still patrolling here? With Victoria dead, I thought you could all take a break."

He's facing the sink, away from her, but turns his head partly toward her, still not looking her in the eye. Bluntly, he asks, "Didn't Edward tell you?"

Her heart sinks. "No, he doesn't like to worry me. But I think I deserve to know, don't you?"

He looks at the floor. "Of course. I just figured you knew..." He's interrupted by a knock at the front door.

Bella goes to answer it, and is surprised to find Leah Clearwater. She thinks offhandedly that it's unfair that she, Bella Swan, would look like a drowned rat after coming in from the storm, while Leah looks like she's been in a modeling shoot involving a luxurious pool and a cabana boy. She pushes her way past Bella and into the kitchen, calling out to her brother, "I'm here to save you, kid, go on home to Mom."

It sounds insulting, but Seth only looks grateful. "Great, thanks." He finally looks up to meet Bella's gaze, and immediately blushes and turns away. "Thanksforthecoffeebye," he mumbles, and rushes out the back door.

Bella turns to Leah with her confusion written plainly on her face. Leah is smirking. "What's going on, Leah?"

"Well, you can hardly blame the kid for being embarrassed." She gestures at the open door. "Personally, I thought it was hilarious; your sparkly-ass boyfriend flying out of your bedroom in the middle of the night, looking like somebody had set him on fire. I wish I had been here to see it in person, but this is, like, the only time I've ever been happy about the pack mind. Laughed my ass off when I saw what happened. But poor Seth, he's not exactly used to overhearing girls' wet dreams, especially ones that involve his pack brothers." Bella's eyes widen. Oh God. She'll never be able to look Seth in the eye again. None of the wolves, actually. It's a damn good thing she's still planning on being turned into a vampire. They'll never want to see her, and she won't have to live with the humiliation of speaking with them ever again.

Leah continues. "I'm not blind, Swan. I get it. The boy's hotter than hot." She decides to screw with Bella for a bit. Bella really, really deserves to be screwed with. "I mean, I see all of the guys, all of the time, and they've all got serious bodies on them. But Jake, well, Jake's meant to be Alpha, you know? And it shows."

She's shocked. Leah and Jacob? Is that happening? "Is he... Are you..."

Leah crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. "So what if we were?"

"I just never..." Her mouth is hanging open a little.

"You think that because you don't want him, no one else will? Good luck with that, Swan. Other girls aren't as blind or as batshit crazy as you are. They can see a perfect 10 when one is staring them right in the face. He's been holding out for you, obviously, but your unwavering devotion to the act of suicide is getting sort of old. He'll wise up sooner or later. Probably sooner, now that he's far enough away that you can't keep stringing him along."

"Far enough away?" she asks. Now Bella is embarrassed and concerned.

"Prince Charming didn't see fit to fill you in, huh? About the vamp that got away?" Bella shakes her head. Leah rolls her eyes. "Figures. Looks like one of the newborns escaped from the battle. It's been hanging around. Jake left to take care of it."

"Left? Where?"

"North." Leah says, unhelpfully.

Bella is growing alarmed. "Did anybody go with him?"

Leah shakes her head. "Took off on his own. It's dangerous, yes, but there's not much anyone could do to stop him. He thinks the leech is after you, so he went to take it down. Sam could've alpha ordered him not to go, but I think we all know it probably wouldn't have worked. He wasn't exactly in the best frame of mind, you know. Had just gotten your wedding invitation."

Now she's mad. "What? I didn't want to send him one. I didn't want to hurt him that way. It must have been Edward," a pleading note in her voice.

Leah barks out a harsh laugh, and glares at her. Screwing with Bella Swan is fun, but she's too infuriated to talk any longer. "Didn't want to hurt him? A little late for that, don't you think? Are you kidding me?" She turns to the door and opens it.

She's halfway across the yard when Bella calls out to her, "Is he okay, Leah?"

She has turned partway around, and is obviously trying to decide what to say. She settles on honesty. "Nobody knows. He's pretty far away, so it's easy for him to shield his thoughts. I really have no idea."

She takes off into the woods.

Bella shuts the door and leans against it. Before she knows it, she's sitting on the floor, knees pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped tightly around her. The hole in her chest is gaping open. He's gone, and he's going to get himself killed. What has she done?

The rest of the day passes in a daze. She doesn't see Leah again, and for that she is grateful. Edward never shows up, although they were planning on spending the day together. It doesn't escape her attention that she doesn't miss him, and is glad to be alone with her black thoughts. What she really wants is to go LaPush, but now there's really nothing there for her. She even has the notion to go sit alone in Jake's garage, but rejects it as pointless and embarrassing. She would doubtless run into one of the wolves, one who was privy Seth's memory, and then she would have to jump off the cliff to escape the shame.

When nighttime finally falls, and she has an excuse to go to bed, she's grateful. The only person who can make her feel better is gone, but if she's lucky, she'll see him in her dream.

_The door to the little red house again proclaims 128, and the knob opens easily. But before she turns it, she knows the room is empty. There is a chill on the metal knob that wasn't there the night before. Her suspicions are confirmed. She strips down to her underwear and climbs into the bed. She's happy to wait all night if it means she can see him. But he never comes. So she tosses and turns, and drifts and drowses, images of warm smiles, open arms, and black-haired babies flitting through her mind._

The next morning, exhausted and unrefreshed, she finds Edward sitting in her rocking chair, looking at her sadly. He gets straight to the point, asking quietly, "What do you want, my love?"

She has no answer, but she's getting very practiced at lying. "You, Edward, just you."

X-x-x-x-X

Sunday

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob rolls over in bed. Straight into a sticky mess rather than a soft, warm body. He heaves a sigh. Why are the best experiences of his life a figment of his imagination? And should he start taping a plastic bag around his dick before he goes to sleep? At least he is saved the embarrassment of having someone else clean it for him. This motel isn't exactly nice enough to have daily maid service. He's pretty sure that there are coin operated washers and dryers somewhere in the building. He'll have to scrounge up some of those ridiculously named coins the Canadians call loonies. Which reminds him; his debit card has enough money to last him a couple weeks here, but not much else. He's been saving up some cash from working on people's cars, but staying in a motel, no matter how cheap and dirty, isn't exactly affordable. He would just stay in the woods as his wolf, but exploring this city won't work in that form. He hopes it doesn't take long to kill this vamp. He has no plans to move to Canada.

After throwing his sheets and filthy shorts in the wash, he heads out to eat. He buys a toothbrush at a drugstore, and drops his things back at the motel and switches his load into the dryer. He heads back out to the last spot he had the trail. This city seems like a great place for a vampire to lose him.

He starts by going in generally concentric circles, gradually widening. He runs across the trails of at least two other vampires this way. He's tempted to follow them, but he's not here for them. It makes sense, he supposes. Vancouver is rainy and cloudy, so a vampire can actually go outside during the day. It's big enough to offer plenty of diversions for a bored immortal. And best of all, big cities like this are full of transients and travelers, addicts and runaways, easy victims who won't be missed. Jacob doesn't intend to become one of them.

Twice he also comes across evidence that he is in the right place. The scent is heavily degraded in the first location. It's the parking lot outside a high school. There's no shelter over the lot, so the scent was almost entirely washed away after the previous night's rain. But he explores carefully, and right against the school building, under the eaves of the roof where the rainwater couldn't strike directly, the scent is stronger. The vampire had stood up against a window. He can even smell where it pressed its hands against the glass. What was it doing? Looking inside? He would be worried about the safety of the teenagers who go to school here, but they're on vacation. What else would a vampire be doing at a high school, other than looking for prey?

That train of thought reminds him, unpleasantly, of the Cullens, and their absurd decision to go to high school for the rest of eternity. If he had to live forever, he wouldn't spend it going to high school again and again. And if things don't go his way, he could be around for a very, very long time. He desperately hopes this isn't the case. He can only think of two reasons he might have to extend his lifespan by continuing to phase. Neither is pleasant. First, that LaPush keeps being overrun by vampires, and he has to in order to protect his home. He wouldn't like it, but he'd do it if necessary. Second, and worse yet, that he might imprint on a child the way Quil has, and need to keep phasing to stay young for her. He physically shudders at the thought. To practically raise a child, watch her grow up, and then develop sexual feelings for her when she comes of age? He'd kill himself before giving in to such a thing.

He finishes exploring the school. Unfortunately, there is no way for him to tell where the vamp went when it left. So he continues in his outward spiral. If he doesn't pick up the trail again, at least he can come back and stake out the school. Maybe it will come back. He stops in a thrift store to pick up a couple changes of clothes. At this rate, he could be here for a few days.

Just as he's about to take a break for dinner, he finds another clue. Today has actually been quite sunny, so he's seen no actual vampires. But he can smell evidence of them. As he makes his circular route outward, he realizes that many trails are converging in a northwesterly direction. He doesn't distinguish his prey in particular, but the converging trails are too tempting to pass up. He follows.

The paths lead him from the southeastern outskirts of the city through the heart of downtown. In this area, there are so many trails going in different that it becomes difficult to discern if there's a pattern. But he persists and eventually reaches his destination. Upon arrival, he immediately figures out why it's a vampire haven. Stanley Park. An otherwise lovely 1000 acre park set on the northernmost peninsula of the city. It's heavily wooded, a tourist attraction, and surrounded on three sides by water. Perfect for hunting and killing humans along secluded paths, and disposing of their bodies in the water nearby. An obvious place for a hungry vampire to look for a convenient snack.

He arrives as dusk is falling. He still can't distinguish his vampire's trail in particular, but chances are good that it will pop up eventually. He can be patient, and right now it seems as likely a place to find his vampire as the high school he found earlier in the day. He finds a park bench along a well used trail and settles in. A few joggers pass by, but it's late and the park is becoming deserted.

He is about to drift off to sleep when a pretty Asian girl rounds the bend pushing a sno-cone cart. She's probably just getting off work, on her way to put the cart in storage and go home for the evening. She gives Jacob a shy smile, and he nods politely back. He's nearly forgotten about her when a breeze picks up, carrying the unmistakable, sickly sweet, decayed scent of a vampire. Jake immediately jumps up and sprints into the breeze. The sno-cone girl is heading straight for it. He skids around the next bend and is horrified to see a tall figure looming over the girl. It has dirty looking black shoulder length hair, nearly translucent pale skin, a sleazy smile, and unmistakable deep red eyes. It's grinning madly at the girl, who is bent awkwardly backward over her cart unsuccessfully trying to put space between herself and her predator. It hasn't noticed Jacob yet.

The vampire grabs a handful of the girl's hair and bringa it to its nose, taking a deep whiff. "Mmmmm. I'm not even hungry, but it would be a sin to pass you up, you lovely thing."

Jacob struggles mightily against the urge to phase. He's standing well in view of the girl and can't have her witness his transformation. He can't walk away to phase either. By the time he gets back, fast as he is, it could be too late for her.

She is shaking, terrified. She can barely get words out, but in a shaky voice says, "Take whatever you want. I earned a lot today, and it's all in the cart. Just please don't hurt me..." Her voice trails off as the vampire traces the column of her throat with a long, pointed finger.

It smiles lasciviously down at her and replies, "You can beg as much as you want, my dear. It only makes this more enjoyable for me."

Jacob makes a quick decision. If he can't phase here to take it out, and he can't leave long enough to do so, he will just have to lead it away. It's not the smartest decision, since he is no match for the vampire in human form, but he has little choice. He steps forward onto the path.

"Hey asshole! Leave her alone!"

The vampire blinks at him, startled. It grabs the girl by the waist. "Ah, and here we have a hero, eh? I'd be happy to kill you first so she can see what's about to happen to her. Nothing like a little terror to spice up a meal."

Jacob steps forward enough that the vampire can smell him. The girl is staring at him with wide eyes. "I'd like to see you try, leech."

The vampire narrows his eyes and relaxes his hold on the girl. "What are you?" he asks in a low voice.

Jacob growls. "Why don't you come here and find out."

He waits until the vampire steps away from the girl and toward him. He knows he's got the vampire hooked by the look in its eye. "Catch me if you can," he taunts, knowing full well that the vampire will easily reach him. He calculates just how fast he needs to run to reach the trees, and turns on his heel to sprint away at a speed just exceeding that of a normal human.

He manages to get into the treeline, and even throws off his clothes, before the vampire catches up with him. It probably would have caught him already, but it was so startled by the sight of him undressing as he ran, that it slowed down a bit. Just as he feels its chill of its fingers on his arm, he explodes.

He twists quickly to face the vampire. They've made it into a small clearing. The vampire is standing stock still, staring at him incredulously. "What... What..."

He distantly hears his pack brothers screaming in his mind. They want to know what's going on, they want to help him, but he's 200 miles away. He tunes them out, growls, and crouches to spring. The leech barely rolls out of the way, but he manages to take off its right hand with his first move. He spits the disgusting thing out of his mouth. This vampire isn't a frenzied, powerful newborn like the ones he has fought, nor is it an experienced soldier like Jasper, and it's alone. It was expecting an easy meal out of him, and has no idea what it has gotten itself into. It's clearly trying to decide whether to run away or stay and fight. He doesn't plan on giving it that choice.

He rushes it again while it's turned partly away from him, his large jaw wrapped around its side. It beats at him with its stump of an arm as he tears a chunk out of its chest and abdomen. It manages to get its other hand on him, but only on the fur just above his right paw, and he slides out of its grip losing only a little russett fur in the process.

The thing is screaming now. He's more worried about it attracting attention than he is about losing this battle. The vampire just doesn't know what it's doing. It has probably never had to fight for anything before. He's gotten lucky and he knows it, although he hears his pack brothers faintly in the back of his mind cheering him on wildly.

The vampire has realized that running away will only expose its back to the great wolf, so it turns to face him. It changes tactics, suddenly barrelling toward him, but doesn't bother to feint left or right, just guns straight for him. The move is much too straightforward. With just one leap and the screech of ripping metal, Jacob has its head separated from its body, and the fight is over as quickly as it began.

He efficiently tears it to pieces, but then has a new quandary. What is he supposed to do with the parts? He's in a public park. He can't just set them on fire. And he can't dump them in the water like the vampires do with their victims. They'll just find each other and reform.

He starts by moving the head far from the rest of the body, and runs to find his clothes. With his luck, he'll have saved the girl, killed the vamp, and then get arrested for public indecency. He redresses just in time to see the sno-cone girl talking to a police officer, and pointing toward the woods where he's standing. Thankfully, it's quite dark, and they can't see him at all, although his vision allows him to see them just fine. He runs back to the remains, stealing trash bags out of bins along the way.

He's irrationally irritated at the girl. She's doing the sensible thing by getting the police. She is so much more sensible than his Bella. Than Edward's Bella, he corrects himself darkly, who would have no doubt tried to befriend the vampire before it killed her. The sno-cone girl probably thinks she's doing him a favor by sending the cops into the woods after him. But really, she's just making his life difficult. Killing vampires is easy. Hiding vampire parts from the prying eyes of the police is hard.

He ends up separating the pieces into three garbage bags, and climbing up some of the more accessible trees and stashing them there until the police pass through. There are only two officers looking, though, and they have no idea what they're actually looking for. He spies at them from above until he's confident they're gone.

By then it's the middle of the night, and he only has a vague idea what to do with the vampire parts. He takes the bag with the head in it, and heads out of the park. He could easily carry all three at once, but it would look much too suspicious if anyone were to see him. Especially since the parts are wiggling, horribly. He figures he has to find one of two things. A hospital might have an incinerator for medical waste, but the likelihood he can get in and out of such a place and find what he's looking for is low. Not to mention that he has to do it three times with three bags. Better yet, he needs to find a landfill. They'll have an industrial incinerator, and will hopefully be less well guarded than a hospital.

He does eventually find such an industrial incinerator, but it's miles from the park. He doesn't get caught, although he garners odd looks from the few people out and about who manage to see him.

By the time he finishes his ugly task and gets back to his motel, the sun is rising. He's surprised to find that his laundry is still sitting in its dryer, so he drags it back to his room. He's exhausted and covered in awful vampire stench. He has to shower twice before he can no longer smell the vampire on himself. Then he tosses a sheet loosely over the bed, wraps a towel around his waist, and falls over onto the mattress. He's asleep before he hits the pillow. He does not dream.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stefenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Monday

X-x-x-x-X

On her way to work in the morning, Edward asks if he can take her to lunch. She agrees, although she doesn't really relish the idea of him staring at her while she eats. It's bound to be awkward anyway. He knows she's been thinking about Jacob constantly, and he knows how inappropriate some of those thoughts have been. Similarly, she knows he's been hiding the threat of the rogue newborn from her, not to mention the fact that he must have known Jacob had left, and he didn't say anything. She no longer knows exactly what it is that she wants from Edward, but the truth would be a good place to start.

The day crawls along. Mike is animated as usual, keeping up a running commentary of chatter, talking about his plans for the fall. She wishes she could be as enthusiastic about her own future. For months, she couldn't even contemplate having a future without Edward in it. But upon his return, her relief at having him back was overshadowed by Victoria and the newborns, and she wasn't even sure she would have a future. Now all of eternity itself stretches before her, and she doesn't know if she actually wants it.

It's tempting; how could it not be? Edward's feelings are unchanging and static. He has declared that he will love her forever. He has waited for her for a hundred years, ignoring the advances of women much more alluring than plain Bella Swan. She has spent her entire life being firmly ignored by the entire male gender. But this model of perfection has declared her to be his one and only, ignoring the advances of his equals, vampires whose faces and bodies are perfection, even spurning Rosalie. Who is she to turn him down, having caught his eye? He says he will never leave her, will never love another. His perfect golden eyes will never wander to another woman. He will only ever want her. If she turns, she'll even be worthy of his attentions. Her human life is a collection of sad uncertainties. Edward Cullen has offered her a guarantee.

Moreover, she wants invulnerability; of that she is certain. She's sick and tired of being afraid. It's bad enough that Edward had to save her from Tyler's van and from the men who threatened her in Port Angeles. Worse yet that the Cullens had to rescue her from James. She is weary of sending her loved ones off to the front lines, of shielding her body with the lives of others, huddling in fear while she waits to hear whether they survived. Bad enough that Jacob was hurt. She couldn't live with the guilt if a wolf died for her. They're young, and brash, and bold, and they are supposed to have their entire lives before them. They're supposed to get married, have children, and grow old. She can't stand the idea that one of them might not have that future, all because of her. If she is turned, she will protect herself. She will never ask anyone to put themselves at risk for her again.

There are other perks too, of course. She won't mind being beautiful or eternally young. She has spent her entire life feeling plain and uninteresting; the opposite will be nice for a change.

And she could do a lot worse for a family. She truly admires Carlisle, Esme is more of a natural mother than her own, Alice is one of her best friends, and Emmett already feels like her big brother. But those reasons are honestly not why she's chosen Edward. If he turns her, she can stop being scared.

But this time, her choice hasn't made Jacob safe. She thought that after the newborn battle, he could finally rest. She has broken his heart and her own in the process, and for what? She could live with the idea that she's lost him forever, that she hurt him irreparably, if it was for a reason. If it was for his future. That he would someday meet his imprint, fall in love, and make a life. She could watch from afar and know she had done the right thing. Instead, he has run off after yet another vampire hell-bent on killing her. He barely survived the last battle, and during that one he was surrounded by his pack and the Cullens. This time, he's alone, and rushing headlong into the unknown.

She is trapped in these thoughts when Edward arrives to take her to lunch. She only has an hour, so they pick up a sandwich from a local deli and head to a nearby park. The sky is overcast, but there is no rain, so they can sit outside. She doesn't know what to say, so she says nothing. He is looking at her with a pained expression on his face, and is smart enough to start with an apology.

"I'm sorry, my love, I didn't want to worry you. You've had so much to handle lately. I couldn't bear to add to your burden."

She wants to yell at him, to be angry for keeping her in the dark. To remind him that his misguided attempts to protect her do not always end well, and are not appreciated. Instead, she stays silent, and waits for what he has to say. She takes a bite of her food.

"You've been safe the whole time. I promise. You know I don't like the wolves, but they won my respect during the battle. I know they will not leave you unprotected. Neither will I."

He waits for her to respond, and when she does not, he continues, "Alice is watching out for the newborn who escaped. She doesn't actually know who it is, so she's not having much success. She doesn't know what to look for. But it seems to be gone for the moment, at any rate."

She's really not worried about herself right now. There is only one vampire, so far as anyone can tell, and between the wolves and the Cullens, over a dozen powerful creatures are watching out for her.

She swallows, and the food feels like rocks in her throat and in her stomach. She gets to the point. "Where is he?"

Edward frowns and looks at the ground. "I haven't spoken with the wolves, Bella."

She glares at him, "We both know you don't need to talk to them to find out what's going on."

He sighs and looks away. It hurts him to speak of Jacob. "Canada. He's in Canada." He gives away as little as possible.

She waits, and when no more information is forthcoming, prompts, "And?"

Like Seth the day before, he won't meet her eyes. "He's shielding his thoughts from the pack, which he can do because of the distance, to some extent. I know that he's following the trail of the newborn who escaped. I know that he ran into some trouble last night, but he made it out. The pack was in an uproar. They saw him killing a male vampire."

Oh God. He put himself in danger. He fought a vampire all by himself. She knows this isn't how the wolves are meant to attack. They are supposed to work in a pack. They are supposed to be able to see an opponent from their own eyes, as well as the eyes of their brothers. They are supposed to fight with multiple set of jaws and powerful claws. If one is rendered incapacitated, another is supposed to be right there to stand over it and defend it.

Jacob has no one. Jacob is alone. Jacob, who threatened to get himself killed during the newborn battle if she would not recognize her feelings for him, the ones he saw in front of him all along. Jacob, who kissed her more passionately than she had ever been kissed, who showed her with that one kiss the fullness of the life she is turning down. Jacob, her other love, her other life. Jacob has gone off by himself to protect her, right after she tore out his heart. Again.

She tore out her own heart when she tore out his. The space is gaping and bleeding. But unlike when Edward left, and Jacob filled the hole in her chest with his love and light and laughter, Edward cannot fill this emptiness, no matter how much he wants to.

He sees the grief and terror written plainly on her face, and tries to reassure her. She is hyperventilating, her lungs gasping for air, her hands trembling, her chest heavy with pressure. "He's all right, Bella. I know he made it out alive. He didn't even feel a scratch."

She steadies her breathing. "Is he coming back?" _Is he coming home to me?_

He shakes his head reluctantly. "Not yet, my love. I don't think so. The vampire he killed wasn't the one he was looking for."

The panic is back. She knows he won't stop now. He could still get hurt. Could still die, alone and far from home, without his brothers by his side. Her last words to him could be of her sending him away.

She needs to get away. She even has a good excuse; her lunch break is nearly over. She stands, unsteadily, drops the remainder of her sandwich in the trash, and starts walking back to Newton's. Edward chases after her, his words of comfort changing as he becomes defensive. They never talked about her dreams again, never acknowledged her feelings for Jacob which are eclipsing her feelings for him.

"It only goes to show how dangerous he is, Bella. A wolf who can take down vampires on his own, without his pack around him, is a dangerous beast indeed. It's best that you're not near him right now. It's for the best that he's gone." This argument, that she is safer with Edward than she is around Jacob, has always been patently absurd. She has always recognized this, even while being otherwise blinded by Edward.

She spins on her heel so quickly that he nearly walks into her. She points a finger at his chest. "Don't, Edward, just don't." She opens the front door to the store.

"He can take care of himself, Bella!" he calls out as the door shuts behind her.

She looks up to find Mike staring at her, his curiosity entirely unmasked. She knows her skin is flushed and she has a scowl on her face, but thankfully her panic attack consisted of terror without tears.

"He's not letting you go see your friend, is he Bella?"

She frowns more. "What?"

Innocent, open Mike Newton, Mike whose life consists of no monster and no magic, sees right to the heart of the matter. He shrugs, "I mean, if I was your fiance, I'd be jealous too. Of your friend, Jacob? Who got hurt in that motorcycle accident? I mean, I'd be jealous too, but I'd have the good sense to be a little less obvious about it. Come on, he just comes off looking possessive and controlling this way, right?"

Is this so obvious to everyone but her? She hides in the storeroom doing inventory for the rest of her shift. She can't bring herself to face Mike, or any customers. She's too angry at Edward, but more angry at herself, and too terrified for Jacob. And she still doesn't know what she wants. If Jacob were here, she could talk to him. He'd probably make her see things more clearly. But he's gone, and he might never come back.

Until then, she's just going to have to figure out what she wants. She knows she wants him now, needs him now, loves him now, is in love with him now. But despite being mad at Edward, she really does think he means well, and she isn't prepared to walk away. She isn't ready to give up invulnerability, his family, or the promise of eternal love. Most of all, she isn't ready to give up her dream of never being afraid ever again. An (ever shrinking) part of her wants to be turned immediately, not to wait for the wedding. If she was a vampire, she could go to Canada herself, fight the newborn herself, and bring Jacob back home. Only he would never speak to her again. And she would have truly lost him, forever.

Her black thoughts consume her until she climbs in bed that night. Edward has the good sense not to come to her before she goes to sleep. She prays for relief. She prays that when she falls asleep, he will be waiting for her in the little red house, in room 128. She prays that he can push away her fears with his warmth, with his love, and with his body.

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob wakes in the middle of the day, the sun still high in the sky. He recalls no dreams. He was so tired after dismantling the vampire in Stanley Park, and then spending all night disposing of its remains, that he forgot to eat dinner. His stomach is completely empty. It feels like it's trying to eat itself. He flips on the television as he dresses, and looks for a weather report. He wants to know how long he has until it rains again and washes away any fresh trails. Why couldn't the vampire have run south, to sunny, dry California? Where it would be easier to track? He's tempted to start at the school again. He will doubtless find vampires if he returns to Stanley Park and waits long enough, but he's not sure he'll find the one he's looking for. So he might as well go back to the only place he knows it has been recently. According to the weather channel, he should have a few hours before heavy rain sets in.

He quickly makes up his bed and heads out for food, and then walks to the school. Unfortunately, there is no evidence the vampire had been back. On closer inspection, however, he realizes he missed the scent of the vampire on the fire escape. It's pretty far above his head, which is why he didn't notice it the first time. He smacks himself for missing something so obvious. The rain didn't even wash the scent away since the ladder is protected somewhat by the wall of the school. He should have learned to check everything overhead after climbing the tree in Forks near Bella's home that proved the vampire has figured out to evade him by sticking to heights. He quickly checks for spying eyes, sees none, jumps up to grab the ladder, and hauls himself up to the rooftop. On the roof, the scent is washed away, but he has learned his lesson. He needs to pay attention to escape routes other than the ground. There are old oaks around the school, which backs up onto a wooded area. It may have left by way of the treetops rather than running along the ground.

He thinks he could actually travel the same way, absurd as it is. It's broad daylight, and he really doesn't want anyone to see him jumping from tree to tree like Tarzan. But if he waits until nightfall, the rain will have started, and then he may lose the trail entirely. He doesn't have much of a choice. Luckily, the wooded area is in the back of the school, away from the main traffic and prying eyes. He grits his teeth, checks quickly for observers, and jumps from the rooftop, agilely catching a sturdy branch and pulling himself into the tree. He was right. The scent is faint but present in the middle branches. The tree itself is somewhat protected from the rain by its own foliage. He can easily figure out which way it went from here, and starts jumping from tree to tree. Maybe he should phase into a monkey now. Or a chimpanzee. Those things are fierce.

Now he's sure it knows he is on its trail. There is no other conceivable reason that it would be traveling in this manner, if not to get away from him. He must have gotten so close to it. Maybe that first night he was just moments away from it. Why else would it have fled this way? If only it hadn't been raining. He would probably have killed it and been on his way home by now.

In this manner, he makes his way through the small forested area and emerges in a residential neighborhood. Here it returned to the ground. He can't follow its meandering path directly, but much of this neighborhood is made up of three story apartment complexes. The carparks are sheltered somewhat from the rain, and there are walkways between the buildings which also afford some protection. He is able to piece together a rough path. How creepy. It stopped along more than one apartment on the way. He doesn't approach any closely enough to tell, since it is still daylight, and he doesn't want to get arrested for being a peeping tom, but he's pretty sure it went right up to windows in the same way it went up to the school, and pressed itself up against the glass to look in.

The trail ends in a bus shelter on the main intersection at the edge of the neighborhood. Crap. If it got on a bus, he'll never figure out where it ended up. He waits long enough to realize that there is only one bus line that stops here, and it leads downtown. He can hop on, and explore each stop along the way to see if he can figure out where it got off. It'll be slow going, but it could be done. What he really needs is to obtain a transit map, and explore each stop on its own. But It's starting to rain. By the time he gets what he needs, and heads back into town, the scent will be washed away. Again. The best he can do is ride the bus to the end of the line, make note of the stops, and see if there's any likely places the vampire might have gotten off. He can return and explore more tomorrow when the rain has let up.

He spends the next hour riding the bus to its final destination. He passes plenty of stops, and really, the vampire could have gotten off anywhere. But as he approaches the end of the line, he becomes increasingly certain. The end of the line is Stanley Park.

By the time he gets there, the sky is pouring. He can't tell anything in this weather, but his instincts tell him that there are no vampires afoot here tonight. There is no acrid smell, and the hairs on the back of his neck aren't standing up, so he decides to head back to the motel. He will come back tomorrow when the weather improves.

He picks up dinner on his way back, determined not to starve himself for a second night in a row. He settles into his room to eat and call his father. Billy knows he can take care of himself, but his father is still his father, and still has every right to worry about his teenaged son alone in a distant city, quite literally off looking for trouble. And after he nearly died in the newborn fight, his dad's sense of Jacob's mortality must be at the forefront of his mind. He actually feels really guilty about not checking in sooner.

He dials collect, the first of his three half pound burgers already settled in his stomach, the next already halfway eaten. His mouth is stuffed, so when the operator asks him to identify himself so his father can agree to accept the charges of the phone call, all that comes out is, "Aakuh Aak". Billy's voice rises with concern, "Jacob? Is that you? What's wrong?"

He tries to swallow, but his mouth is dry, and all he does is choke and cough. After a few seconds of sputtering, he answers clearly, "Sorry dad, I'm just eating. You know me, bottomless pit."

Billy laughs, "Oh, thank god. I thought maybe you were choking on your own blood or something."

"Nope, still alive and kicking. Sorry I didn't call sooner."

"It's okay, son. I know you're busy. I know it's important. But next time you skip town, don't wait so long to check in, okay? Be kind to your old man. Where are you, exactly? Sam filled me in on what he knew, but it was pretty incomplete."

"I'm in Vancouver, staying in some ratty motel. I think he told you I caught the trail of the newborn that escaped, the one that's still after Bella? It led me to Canada. Unfortunately it rains here all the time, just like home, so it's really hard to track the scent. It keeps washing away. But I have a couple good leads on it."

"That's not what you were doing last night, though, is it? Sam said you killed a vampire, but that he didn't think you were heading home just yet."

"Uh huh," Jacob pauses to chew and swallow. "I just happened to run across one. It was about to kill this girl, so I had to take it down. It was embarrassingly easy, actually. Not like the ones we fought. I don't think it ever had to defend itself before."

Billy's voice turns serious. "Don't get cocky, son. You're by yourself, without backup."

"I know. I wasn't looking for a fight, honest. But I wasn't gonna let the girl get killed, you know?"

"What happened? She didn't see you, did she?"

"Not my wolf. She saw me as a human, when I yelled at it to get away from her, but then I led it away and took it down in the woods. It was in a big park. The biggest problem wasn't killing the damn thing. It was figuring out how to burn it after. I'm in a city, right? In a public park? So I can't exactly light a giant, stinking fire in the middle. What was I gonna do, pretend it was the worst barbecue ever? At midnight? So I had to find an incinerator in the city."

"And the girl?"

"She's fine. I saw her after, but she didn't see me, when I went back to get my clothes. She had called the cops, actually tried to send them after me. She probably thought I was getting murdered in the woods by the guy who assaulted her. She didn't know what he was. Just that he was a creep. I hid in the trees with the body parts until the cops passed through."

"Wait, wait," Billy stops him, "What's that about your clothes? You didn't rip them up when you phased? You didn't have to walk through the city buck naked?"

Jacob laughs, "No, no, that's the best part. I think I slowed down the leech by stripping in front of it. I was running off in human form, right? So it was clearly gonna catch up with me quick. And I didn't want to end up naked after, like you said, stuck in the park in the city. So I took off my clothes before I phased, while I was running. Between the nudity and the phasing, the damn thing was so stunned that it didn't move quickly enough. I got its hand off before it had a chance to make a move, and then it was only a few more seconds, and I got its head off."

His dad is laughing hysterically. "That'll be your new strategy, Jacob! I'll tell Sam. The next time you guys get in a fight, he should alpha order everybody to strip down to their birthday suits to distract the enemy. Oh, that's rich!"

They don't want to run up their telephone charge too much, so the conversation ends quickly after that. Billy reassures him that Sue is taking care of him, and the wolves have been stopping by as well, and Jacob promises not to wait so long to check in next time, and to be careful.

Billy has the final word, "You do what you have to do, son, but do it carefully. Remember, you're not Batman, and your job isn't to protect Gotham City. You stay safe, and then you come home."

Afterward, he feels a little better. He really doesn't like being stuck up here all alone. But there's a reason he's up here, and he needs to accomplish it before he can leave.

And his subconscious is doing a damn good job of making him think he's not alone, at least when he sleeps. He hasn't had a dream about Bella every time he has fallen asleep, but when he does, they're mind blowing. He's torn. On one hand, the dreams are wonderful. They fulfill his deepest fantasies. They're more explicit than anything he's ever experienced. And they feel so very real, like she's really there in the room with him. Like she's really kissing him, and touching him, and sliding her hot little body against his own. But even better, not only does she love him physically, but she loves him with her whole heart. But each time, he has to wake up. Wake and be startled by the lack of her, by empty arms and a cold room, and his all-too-real memories of rejection. Of her denying him, denying her own feelings, denying what they both know to be true. Waking up breaks his heart all over again. Each and every time.

As he showers, he can't decide if he wants another dream tonight or not, as if he has a choice in the matter. He climbs into bed thinking that if he has any chance of getting over her, of getting over the love of his life who's about to leave him forever, he needs the dreams to stop. But the only way he knows to stop them is not to sleep, which isn't an option.

_He sits on the bed to wait for her. He wants her. He needs her. He knows she feels the same. Here, in this place, she is open with him, and honest. She is clear about what she wants. He loves her, she loves him, and they are together. So he waits for her._

_He has no idea how much time passes before he senses her presence at the door. She's hesitating for some reason, so he jumps up to let her in, and yanks the door open to her face startled expression._

_She looks up at him with her big brown eyes._

_He grins at her. It's her favorite Jacob smile. "Where have you been?"_

_She grins back. "I'm right here."_

_He steps back to let her in and opens his arms. "You're here?"_

"_I'm here." She jumps into his embrace, he squeezes her tightly to him, and he spins her around._


	12. Chapter 12

_Rating: MA_

_Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stefenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

_X-x-x-x-X_

_Monday night_

_X-x-x-x-X_

_He sits on the bed to wait for her. He wants her. He needs her. He knows she feels the same. Here, in this place, she is open with him, and honest. She is clear about what she wants. He loves her, she loves him, and they are together. So he waits for her. He doesn't know how, but he is pretty certain she will come. He looks forward to it. He's ready to be happy for a while. He's ready to put the frustrating events of the day behind him (what were they? he can't actually recall)._

_He has no idea how much time passes before he senses her presence at the door. She's hesitating for some reason, so he jumps up to let her in, and yanks the door open to her face startled expression._

_She looks up at him with her big brown eyes._

_He grins at her. It's her favorite Jacob smile. The one that lets her know that everything is right in the world, now that she is here. "Where have you been?"_

_She grins back. "I'm right here." Although she can't quite remember where she came from, she is very glad she's here now._

_He steps back to let her in and opens his arms. "You're here?"_

"_I'm here." She jumps into his embrace, he squeezes her tightly to him, and he spins her around._

_He spins her until she laughs and gets a little dizzy. Then he loosens his arms enough that she can breathe, but not enough to let her down._

_"Hey, put me down!" She wiggles her feet in the air, but release her hold on his neck._

_"Hmmmmm," he considers. "No. Don't wanna." He smiles into her hair. His favorite scent drifts into his nose, vanilla and strawberries, and Bella herself. "But I'm feeling generous. You can choose how I hold you. Like this, or you can wrap your legs around me like a baby monkey, or I can carry you piggyback, or bridal style, or you can sit on my shoulders." They both look up at the low ceiling. "Or maybe not."_

_"You know, if I wrap my legs around you, the first thing that springs to mind isn't a baby monkey," she teases, "unless that's what the kids are calling it these days." They both look at the wall beside the door and envision him taking her against it, her legs wrapped around his waist._

_He barks out a laugh as she illustrates her point by shifting her legs around his hips, lightly brushing her center against him. But he's not done playing. He grins at her again. "I dunno, Bells, you're just as cute as one." He sweetly kisses the tip of her nose._

_"Wow, Jake. A monkey, huh? You really know how to flatter a girl."_

_"Yeah, you know me, Bells. I'm beating the girls off with sticks. I'm irresistible."_

_She looks at him with a gleam in her eye. "Well, lucky for me, I know your weak spots."_

_"Is that so, Miss Swan?"_

_She bites her lip and nods. "It's a promise, Mr. Black."_

_He looks her straight in the eye. "Prove it," he whispers._

_She runs the tip of her tongue along her lips, and he is mesmerized. She lowers her mouth to his throat, playfully nips at his neck with her teeth, and just as he starts to moan, she shifts her fingers to his ribs and starts tickling him mercilessly._

_He falls back on the bed, laughing, taking her down with him. She pins his arms at his sides with her knees and attacks his sensitive clavicles with her fingers. He whoops and shakes with giggles, squirming under her hands._

_Her control is an illusion, of course. He could flip them at any time and pin her down, stop her at any moment. But he won't. This is more fun than he's had in ages. And he loves having her hands on his body in just about any capacity._

_So he squirms up the bed in a somewhat fake attempt to get away from her, which puts his feet in range of her wandering hands. She twists around and grabs his left one in her little palm, and attacks the sole._

_Now this is a real, honest weakness, and she knows it. She discovered it on her thorough exploration of his body while seducing him in his garage. She takes full advantage, clinging to his writhing, bucking form with her legs, unrelenting on her happy torture of his feet._

_He hollers, yells, and sincerely begs for her to stop. He resists the urge to throw her off him, because even in his happy daze he doesn't want to accidentally hurt her. He laughs so hard that tears stream out of the corners of his eyes. He beats his fists against the mattress. _

_"Aah! God! Bells, you win! Uncle! Uncle!"_

_She can't resist. "Who's your Alpha, Jake? Who's your Alpha?" she cries triumphantly. It's a terrible joke, and they both know it, which makes them both laugh even harder._

_"You, Bells. Oh my god! You're the boss of me! Stop it! You're my Alpha! You're my Alpha!"_

_She relaxes her grip on his feet and turns back to face him. "Damn skippy, I am," she declares smugly._

" '_Damn skippy'? Is that a thing?" He's still giggling beneath her. She's so proud of herself. Not only did she win fair and square, but she got him to declare her Alpha, and she made him giggle. All six and a half feet of manly, cocky Jacob Black. Giggling. Begging for mercy._

"_Sure it is. Just like 'holy crow', or 'raging peanuts', or 'flying donkey doo.' "_

"_Oh my God, now you're totally just making things up!" He's snorting now. He hugs her close to him and says, "You're so goddamn fucking cute!"_

_She insincerely protests against his neck, "Hey, watch the language, mister!"_

"_Oh man, Bells. At least it's a real phrase!"_

_And then he rolls her over and pins her beneath him, and they're making out like the teenagers that they are. She finally realizes he has only been wearing a towel entire time she's been here. How did she not notice that the second he opened the door? She must have been blinded by his dazzling smile. That thought triggers a faint memory of someone else telling her she's blind, but she can't really remember, and frankly she doesn't care._

_As he playfully bites at her full bottom lip, and nuzzles her with sweet eskimo kisses, she reaches down to pinch his butt through the towel, and he chuckles into her mouth. "Feeling frisky, huh?" he murmurs against her._

_She doesn't want to stop kissing him, so she only replies, "MmmmHmmm." She would tell him that only he can make her so frisky, only he can bring out this playful, sexy side she didn't know she had. But saying that many words would pull her lips from his, and she can't have that._

_He considers whether turnabout is fair play, and is tempted to tickle her right back, but can't stand to pull his lips away from her, either, for long enough to do it._

_So he kisses her. Soft pecks with his full lips against her eyelids, her cheeks, her chin, her nose. Gentle, open mouthed kisses against her lips, the angle of her jaw. Lingering sweeps of his tongue along her soft mouth, the column of her neck, the sensitive spot behind her ear. He buries his hands in her hair and gets lost in her taste. She kisses him back, pressed into the mattress by the weight of his body. Her fingers trace abstract patterns over his bare back, and hold him tightly to her. They kiss for endless seconds, minutes, hours. Time has no meaning here._

_The kisses gradually change from playful and sweet to hot and seductive. He's been hard since she stopped tickling him, ages ago, and she's as aroused as he is. And as much as they can't tell the passage of time, as much as they both want to stay here, together, forever, they know that the night will eventually end and their time will draw to a close. They need to be closer to each other before that happens. They need each other's comfort. They need each other's warmth. They need to be as close as they can possibly be._

_So when Bella starts to moan into Jacob's mouth and tugs at the towel wrapped around his hips, he complies immediately, and slips it out from between them. He refuses to break their kiss. He slides his arm under her waist, pulls her into a sitting position, and slides his hands beneath her shirt. They separate for as little time as possible, just long enough to pull her shirt over her head. Then his lips capture hers again, and they fall backward into the mattress. She lifts her hips just enough to work her pants down, and he kicks them away with his feet._

_Finally. All she feels is his skin on hers. She's ready. She wants him. All of him. She opens her legs and whispers against him, "Don't make me wait any longer, Jake. I need you."_

_He pulls back enough to look her in the eyes. He licks his lips. _

_"I won't tease you tonight, honey." _

_He bends down to kiss her lips again. _

_"I want you to feel good." _

_He moves down to her throat and kisses her there. _

_"But I have to get you ready." _

_He crawls down to capture a nipple in his mouth and works it until she squirms. _

_"We're still new at this." _

_He switches to the other breast, and licks circles around it with his hot tongue. _

_"And I'm still kind of big." _

_He shifts down to swirl his tongue along the edge of her navel, and then dips it in. _

_"And if I don't do this first," _

_He kisses her mound. _

_"it'll hurt again, at least in the beginning." _

_He slides a long, thick finger into her body. _

_"And I won't ever, ever hurt you, baby." _

_He begins to pump. _

_"But I won't leave you hanging, honey." _

_He adds a second finger and pumps deeper. _

_"We're both gonna come tonight." _

_He adds a third. _

_"You more than me, I think." _

_He curls his fingers as he strokes inside her. _

_"Starting right now." _

_He licks his tongue in tight circles on her clit._

_He's right. She does._

_She has no idea how long she comes on his hand and against his mouth, but he doesn't let up for a long, long time. It has the timeless quality of their kisses tonight, like the two of them are outside time, outside space. Wherever this is, she wants to stay._

_When he finally crawls back up her body, he traces his path backward, his lips on her mound, her navel, her breasts, her throat. He leaves his fingers inside her, still pumping gently, so she stays right on the edge. As he presses his lips against hers once more, he removes his hand for only a second, and then he slides home, all the way, in one smooth thrust of his hips._

_He was right, again. After what he has done to her body, the stretch of him, the burn of him, is pleasure in its purest form._

_He holds still, waiting until he's sure she's comfortable. He continues pressing kisses on her lips. She's exhaling a long, satisfied breath against his mouth. As much as he aches to pin her into the bed and fuck her sweet little pussy into complete submission, tonight is only about love. He is fairly certain that some other night he will dominate her, wring orgasm after orgasm from her body with a firm hand and his stiff cock. But she's not ready for that yet. He can wait. And buried still inside her, well, it's the perfect place to wait._

_Tonight is all about laughter. About happiness. About warmth. About bliss. He wants to know what it feels like on his cock when she laughs. So he lightly tickles her sides, just enough to make her giggle and sigh against him. Mmmmmm. He was right. It's a really, really nice feeling, the vibrations of her body surrounding him. _

_He can feel her smile against his cheek. He still hasn't moved his hips, but he's still stroking her sides with the tips of his fingers, and tickling the side of her neck with his nose. "What are you doing, silly boy?"_

"_I'm doing you. Can't you tell?" He laughs and kisses her again. She likes the feeling of him laughing while he's inside her just as much as he does._

_She laughs. "Yeah, okay Jake. That part's hard to miss. It's pretty big, just like you said. You know what I mean," she replies._

_He tips his head back and looks at her. He smiles. "I wanted to know what it would feel like. What it would feel like to be inside you while you were laughing. Besides, it's payback time."_

_She loves this smile. It's the same one she saw for the first time a couple nights ago. It's not quite the huge, sunny Jacob smile he flashes at her in greeting, the one he gives her as he's sweeping her up in his arms, the one that told her during her darkest days that there was still light in the world. No, this one is their private smile. The one that drips sex and happiness all at once, and is only ever aimed at her._

_She grins back at him. He, in turn, loves this particular smile on her. It's pure. Untainted by any negative emotion whatsoever. She just radiates joy. He has never seen her give that smile to anyone else; not to her friends, not to her parents, certainly not to Edward Cullen. It's one of the many ways that he knows she is meant for him, and him alone. "Payback time, huh? You promise? You'll pay me back right now?" She can't be embarrassed around him. She is just having too much fun._

"_Yeah..." He slowly starts to slide out. "Right about **now**." He thrusts back deeply. Her hands are wrapped loosely around his shoulders._

"_Unh," she replies as he hits her cervix. She teases him, "You can do better than that, Black."_

"_Oh, really?" He slides back out again. "You mean, like **this**?" He buries himself in her again more firmly. She grips his upper arms. _

"_Aah!" She grins again. "Better, better, but I know that's not all you have to give me." Her nails dig into his back._

"_Oh, I get it." He slips back, almost out of her body entirely. "You want one of **these**." This time, hard. _

_A whimper escapes her. He doesn't pause anymore to talk. He resumes kissing her. He keeps thrusting, a slow, deep, hard fuck. "Yes... unh... that's... unh... it... unh... Jake!"_

_God, he's so happy. She's so happy. It's bliss, burying himself in her, her being filled by him. She just has one more thing she has to tell him, while she is still coherent enough to form words. "OH!... unh... Jake!... unh... Raging... Peanuts!"_

_They both dissolve into helpless laughter, but he doesn't stop thrusting, so their laughing is mixed with gasping moans. His rhythm is broken and sloppy for a few minutes, since it is genuinely difficult to laugh this hard and have sex at the same time. And the more they laugh, the funnier it becomes. Which is somehow more arousing. She doesn't mind at all. It still feels wonderful. Jacob Black can pat his head and rub his stomach at the same time, can walk and chew gum at the same time, and can apparently laugh and have sex at the same time. The whole thing just feels so. damn. good._

_Eventually their gales of laughter fade, and just the moaning is left behind. He kisses her. He moves in her. It feels endless, like the rest of their night, and they're caught in a timeless bubble containing only each other. And as he feels her start to clench and tighten around him, another long, hard orgasm taking over her body, he comes in her. _

_It is the happiest either of them has ever been._

_Long moments later, he's still seated in her, and she's surprised to find that he's still hard. It's causing lovely little aftershocks of pleasure in her core. He is sprawled on top of her. _

"_Hey," she teases, running her fingers up and down on either side of his spine, where he is most sensitive, "what's wrong with you, anyway?"_

_He feels boneless. The only hard thing about him is his still-hard cock. "Wait, what? I thought that went well." His voice is muffled, since his mouth is buried in the pillow that is under her head._

_He can hear the smile in her voice, so his ego isn't bruised. "It did go well. It was fun. I didn't think sex could be so much fun."_

"_I did. I knew. But what was that about something being wrong?," he mumbles._

"_So, you've apparently relinquished all muscle control, since you're totally squishing me into this mattress."_

"_Mmph. Don't wanna move," he mutters._

"_Right, so that's fine. I like it. Being crushed is fine, long as it's by you." She's starting to laugh again, and he really likes the sensation under him and around him._

"_So Mike Newton can't crush you? Or Quil?" His face is still planted firmly in the pillow, so she's not entirely sure of the names he's spoken. No matter. Whomever he said, they aren't allowed to squish her._

"_Nope. Just you."_

"_How 'bout a girl? Like that skanky girl from your school, the bitchy blonde one."_

_She shakes and laughs, "Who, Lauren?"_

"_Yeah, her. She'd probably do you."_

"_God, no. She's probably not heavy enough to crush me. Definitely not Lauren. Just you!"_

"_You like it when I crush you? I can do it more often."_

"_Yeah, well, I like everything except lying in the wet spot. I never really knew what the wet spot was, before."_

_She thinks he says, "What else could it have possibly been?"_

"_Okay, so I'm dumb. I never thought about it before!"_

"_I don't believe you."_

"_S'true, either way. Hey, can you breathe?"_

"_Not really. Doesn't matter. I'm dead right now. Don't need to breathe." She can barely make out what he's saying._

"_So, you're so dead you can't move, can't lift up your head for air, but you're still totally rock hard, down here? That's weird." She can't reach between them to gesture, so she pokes him in his left buttock with her finger. It causes him to jolt a little bit inside her. They both groan._

"_Well, that's important," she thinks he says._

"_More important than breathing?"_

"_Yeah. I think it's the most important thing. Like, ever. I need that."_

_She snorts. "What for? We used it already, so doesn't it get to take a rest now?" She's going to have to get used to his stamina._

_He finally raises his head and looks down at her. He gives her a fake frown. " 'What for?' I think I'm being insulted. Do I have to remind you?"_

"_Yeah," she giggles. "Remind me."_

_His whole face lights up. "Okay, sure!" _

_He reminds her two more times._


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stefenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Tuesday

X-x-x-x-X

The first thing Bella notices when she wakes up is that she is in the wrong bed. Again. She has never been a morning person, but this new manner of waking up, being pulled from Jacob's arms, is just miserable. On the other hand, although her mind recalls hours of (pleasurable) nocturnal aerobic activity, her body feels wonderful. She feels fully rested. And she doesn't feel the tear of the gaping hole in her chest.

She has a strong urge to talk to Jacob. She thinks of his teasing the night before. Under any other circumstances, the sorts of conversations they had last night would be entirely embarrassing for her. But with Jacob, they were just fun. Sex felt fun. Who would have guessed? She never would have expected such an experience from Edward.

She has always wondered what sex would be like with Edward. She can tell that there is wild passion behind his tightly held control. If she could ever get him to lose that control, she has no doubt that he would ravage her. She has been longing for it the entire time she has known him. But after their experience earlier in the week, when she woke with him pinning her down bodily, his hard, freezing hand clamped down on her mouth, she wonders if she would actually enjoy it. Especially since her body now knows something better.

In life, Jacob makes no attempt to restrain his passion for her. It's in his eyes every time he looks at her, in his words, in his deeds. She doesn't doubt that making love with Jacob would be the perfect blend of passion and pleasure, just like it is in her dream. They could probably use some practice to get there, but it would be so much fun learning how. And even though it didn't happen, couldn't have happened, will probably never happen, she has no doubt that being with Jacob would be just that. Fun, laughter, lust, and love all wrapped up into one. Why exactly did she send him away?

As much as she longs for his body, she longs more for his smile. She wants to laugh like she did last night, but there is no one here to laugh with. If she is turned, she won't have to worry about being afraid anymore, but she's not sure she'll ever laugh like that again. Alice and Emmett make her laugh, but not the way Jake does. And as much as she loves Edward, the best he can draw out of her is a bit of a chuckle.

She sighs and rolls out of bed, noting that her window is slightly ajar. She closes it with a heavy sigh. Edward must have stopped by the night before. She wonders how long he was in her room, and what he heard while he was here.

She pads off to the bathroom. She has her toothbrush in her mouth when she hears frantic pounding on the front door. She hears Charlie open the door with an enthusiastic but confused greeting, "Morning, Alice! Didn't expect to see you here at this hour."

She can hear genuine anxiety in Alice's voice, underneath a falsely chipper greeting. "Hi Charlie, I'm having a wedding planning emergency. Is Bella still here?"

"Sure, I heard her get up a few minutes ago. She has a little bit of time before she heads into work. You want to go say hello before she has to leave?"

"Oh good, I was afraid I'd miss her. I just need her to help me clarify some plans." She hears Alice's footsteps coming up the stairs. "If I don't see you before you go, have a good day at work, Charlie!"

The door to the bathroom bursts open. "Oh my God, Bella, you're okay!"

Bella stares at Alice with wide eyes, her toothbrush hanging out of her mouth. She spits out her toothpaste. "I'm fine. What's going on?"

Alice is even more manic than usual. "I was so worried! Your future just disappeared! At first I thought it was because of the mutt that's patrolling outside, but even when they're here I can usually see something. I thought something awful had happened to you!"

Bella doesn't know what to say. "I'm fine, Alice. Safe and sound. I'm planning on spending a boring day at work, nothing more, nothing less."

Alice is bubbly and hyper again, and bouncing on the heels of her feet. "Well good, then. I won't panic, I promise. It probably is the fault of that stupid dog outside. I'm glad I convinced Edward to stay home. He was about to rush over here and rescue you, but there's clearly nothing to rescue you from! I mean, he was here just a couple hours ago. What could possibly have gone wrong since then?"

Bella isn't really surprised by this news. He is getting careless sneaking in and out of her room. It isn't like him to leave the window ajar. She's worried about him. She wants to ask Alice how Edward is doing, but has no idea how. She doesn't want to raise any suspicion, so she makes an attempt at a joke. "You know me, Alice, I could easily have fallen down the stairs just going to get breakfast, and rendered myself unconscious."

Alice lets out a tinkling laugh. "Whatever are we going to do with you, Bella?"

She displays false conviction. "You're going to turn me so that the next time I fall down the stairs, I'll break the stairs instead of the stairs breaking me."

"I sure hope you're more graceful when you're a vampire, Bella." Alice smiles at her. "But with your luck, poor coordination will be your special power."

"It'll be extra enhanced, right? So I'll be even clumsier than I am now."

They grin at each other until Bella remembers, "Um, I have to go to work soon, Alice."

"Oh! Of course, I should let you go. But first," she runs to Bella's room and returns a minute later with an outfit in her hands. "This is what you're supposed to wear today." She hands her a pretty purple blouse Bella has never seen before and a pair of skinny jeans.

"I thought my future disappeared, Alice? How do you know what I'm supposed to wear?"

Alice smiles. "It just came back, after I came in. I don't know what happened just now, but your future just went back to normal." She turns to leave. "You know," she says gently, "you and I haven't had much of a chance to talk lately, other than wedding planning. Can I take you to lunch today?"

Bella asks, "Am I going to say yes?"

"Of course you are, silly. Asking you is just a formality!"

Bella can't help but smile back. "In that case, then my answer is yes."

"Wonderful! I'll pick you up."

Mrs. Newton is thankfully more circumspect than her son, so Bella's morning passes in peace. Bella misses Jacob acutely, but thinking about missing Jacob makes her wonder if it would be any better to miss all the Cullens. When Edward left and took them all with him, she didn't lose just him, but her surrogate parents and siblings as well. Who can she live without? Those thoughts, and work, are actually busy enough to keep her occupied until Alice walks in the door with a little wave of her hand. Bella clocks out.

Alice stops at her flashy yellow Porsche and pulls out a basket. "Courtesy of Esme. She wanted to make something for you." Alice unknowingly leads Bella to the park where she ate lunch with Edward the day before. They even sit on the same bench.

Alice opens the basket and hands Bella a turkey panini and a bottle of water. Bella doesn't even ask what it is. Esme made it, so whatever it is, it will be good.

"Tell Esme thanks for me, will you Alice? This really good."

Alice says softly, "Why don't you tell her yourself?"

Bella feels her mouth opening and closing like a fish. She hasn't visited the Cullen house in days, and now feels terribly guilty. She adds to her list of things to feel guilty about. She is saved from the awkwardness of this question for a few moments when Alice goes into a trance.

A minute later, Alice turns to look at her. "That has been happening all day. It has been happening all week, actually, but this morning was ridiculous. I almost didn't drive here- I was worried that I'd end up having a vision and steering my car into some poor person."

Bella is afraid to ask, but does so anyway. "What are the visions, Alice?"

"They change. They're all different. They are all of you. Sometimes you're a vampire, sometimes you're gone altogether and I can't find you. Some are you, but hazy and barely visible and I can't tell what's going on. And in one, you're as clear as day, getting off a plane and handing a beautiful baby to your mom. You look really happy in that one."

Her heart aches. It has to be Jake's baby. Their child. The future she turned down.

"Has Edward seen those visions?"

Alice nods. "Both the vampire ones and the blank ones. I was able to get out of the house for the one with the baby."

Thank god he didn't see that one. He has always told her he wants a normal, human life for her, but saying it and seeing it are two different things. "He must be so upset." No matter what else is going on, no matter how her self awareness is evolving, she hates hurting Edward. It makes her want to jump in Alice's Porsche and dive into Edward's arms and tell him she'll never leave him. But she doesn't know if that would be the truth.

"He thinks the blank spots mean there is a strong possibility if that rogue newborn will kill you. I can't see the newborn since I don't know who I'm looking for, which makes it even worse."

Bella's first thought isn't for herself this time. If she gets killed by the newborn, there's a good chance that Jacob will have already gotten killed by it as well. Because he will surely die before letting it get to her. And Edward would do the same, and if he survived her, would take his own life.

"He's terrified, Bella. He wants to turn you now, before it gets the chance to hurt you."

Her head snaps up. Not long ago, she would have jumped at the offer. Not today. "I need to talk to him, don't I?"

Alice nods sadly. "What are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know."

Alice puts her cold hand on Bella's. "Whatever you decide, Bella, you'll always be my best friend."

Bella spends the rest of the afternoon in a daze. Alice's words stick with her. She doesn't know how to let go of the rest of the Cullens, let alone let go of Edward. She doesn't want Alice just as a friend. She wants Alice as a sister. No matter what their intentions, giving up Edward will put a rift between Bella and the rest of the family, even if none of them blame her for it.

And the news of her flickering future brings her fear back to the forefront. The universe is clearly conspiring against her. Her life is in danger again, and she still hates putting everyone else on the line to protect herself.

Then there is the baby. She wishes she could see Alice's vision for herself. She can admit it now, can admit to herself that she does long for that version of the future. Maybe even wants it as much as the future with Edward she was once so committed to.

Her mind drifts back to the previous night. Never in her life had she experienced such pure happiness. Can she go her entire existence knowing such bliss was possible, but that she turned her back on it? Not only that, but that she would not only deprive herself of that love, but deprive Jacob of their joy as well?

She wants to make him happy. She wants to make Edward happy too. But Jacob probably has an imprint out there waiting to meet him. Edward has only Bella. She ignores the Jacob voice in her mind swearing that there is only her.

No wonder Alice's visions keep changing.

After work, Bella heads home. Three blocks away from her house, she passes a UPS truck headed in the other direction, and suddenly remembers Charlie's package from the week before. She realizes she never actually told him about the package, but she didn't see it again after it was dropped off. He must have found it on his own.

Just as she's pulling into her driveway, Charlie comes out the front door, keys in hand. "Hey Bells, I've got to go in to the station. Mark called in sick, and there's no one to cover the evening shift. I'll be home pretty late, so don't wait up."

She nods back at him. "Okay, dad, I'll probably head over to the Cullens tonight anyway." As much as she wants to avoid any kind of a confrontation, she owes it to Edward to talk to him. Just as Charlie is getting into the cruiser, she stops at his window. "Hey, did you get the package that was dropped off last week? I left it on the table for you."

"What package?"

"You know, medium sized standard issue brown box with packing tape." She illustrates the size with her hands.

"No, didn't see it. Where'd you put it?"

"Um, kitchen table, I think. You didn't take it?"

He shakes his head no.

"Okay, I'll look around. Maybe it fell on the floor, got kicked under something."

Charlie pulls out of the driveway, and Bella enters the house. She spends the next hour combing the first floor and coming up empty. She is about to start on the second floor when a knock sounds at the front door. She opens it to find Alice there for the second time that day. Alice gives Bella a small smile. "I don't know what you're looking for, but you don't find it."

"You had a vision of me not finding something? How does that work?"

Alice shrugs noncommittally. "I had a bunch of visions of you being frustrated looking for something, and none of you actually finding it. So I figured I would come over here and save you the time. Since I decided that the vision changed to you coming over to our house."

Bella runs a hand through her hair. "Well, I did tell Charlie I was going to come over. Can I get my stuff?"

Bella is nervous for the entire car ride. "Did you see anything else interesting today?"

Alice shakes her head. "Just more of the same."

"And Edward?"

She looks at Bella sadly. "Still worried out of his mind. You can make him feel better, though." Alice pats her hand.

All too soon, they're in front of the house. Bella feels her heart pounding in her chest. Alice can hear it easily. "It's okay, Bella. We love you, remember?"

Bella tries to smile at Alice, but fails.

Esme greets her at the door with a hug. "Did you like your lunch, dear?"

Bella nods. It really was quite good.

"Wonderful. Would you like some dinner tonight too? I have a lovely pasta recipe that I'd love to try out."

"Thanks, Esme, but no. The sandwich really was wonderful, though."

Esme gives her a small smile. "Then go on up, dear. He's in his room."

The walk up the stairs feels endless. Her heart is back to pounding in her chest again. As she reaches for the doorknob, she gets a flash of a brown, rusted door, in a different place, with a different man behind it. She closes her eyes and turns the knob. When she opens them, the wrong eyes are looking into her own. They look sad.

"I'm glad you came, my love. I wasn't sure you wanted to see me."

She decides to be honest. "I wasn't sure, either."

"I'm so sorry, Bella. I never mean to hurt you, but I keep doing it anyway."

"I know, Edward. I know you mean well. But you can't keep hiding things from me. It only makes things worse. It's my life, Edward, and I need to know."

He looks at the floor, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. "I've learned my lesson, I think. I'll do better." He looks her directly in the eye, and she can see conviction there. "I'll _be_ better, Bella. I can be good for you. I can be good to you."

His singular focus on her is hypnotizing, and she can't break his gaze. She has no doubt that he means every word he says. He continues when he realizes she isn't going to say anything back to him. "I have no further news, Bella. I haven't seen any of the wolves. But Carlisle hears from Sam whenever there's anything that they think we need to know, and there has been no news."

She nods at him, but still can't think of what to say.

"I'm sure he's fine, Bella. I know it came out badly yesterday, but I meant it when I told you that Jacob can take care of himself. We would know it if he wasn't fine."

Bella exhales a long breath she didn't know she had been holding, and slumps a little. "I am worried about him, Edward. He's my best friend."

Edward looks pained again. "He is good to you, I know it. I can't entirely hate him, much as I want to, knowing that." Edward pauses, and takes an unnecessary deep breath. "What will you do when he comes back?"

Bella still doesn't know the answer to this question. Only a few days ago she would have blurted out that she would never see him again, but she no longer knows. "I can't leave things with him the way they are, Edward."

Edward frowns. "I understand that, love. But you do understand, don't you, that he's not meant for you?"

Her breath catches in her throat. Her dreams over the past few nights have nearly convinced her that Jacob _is_ meant for her. And that she is meant for him. She can't meet Edward's eyes, which is answer enough.

Suddenly he's standing right up against her, holding her arms tightly, looking down at her. He whispers fiercely, "You're not his imprint, Bella. But you are my singer. You are the only one I will ever love." He presses his lips hard against hers and tangles his hands in her hair. She is stunned with the force of it. Edward is usually much more careful than this. But he still doesn't open his lips, for fear of his venom touching her, and suddenly the kiss is over as quickly as it began.

The kiss had two effects. First, Bella's lips are tingling, like they always do, when Edward kisses her. Second, the hole in her chest has opened again. It's the most bizarre juxtaposition.

Edward gently tugs on her hand to seat her beside him on the seat beside him. He tucks loose hair behind her ear, and the skin where he touches her tingles as well. She inhales his heavenly scent and almost feels dizzy with it. He lifts the hand he is holding to his lips, and kisses her knuckles as well. It's barely a brush against her skin. She shivers.

"I cannot object if you want to remain his friend, Bella. But I beg that you do not begin a life with him, only to have it ripped away when he looks into the eyes of his intended."

Bella nods and stands. She realizes that she's crying. "I need some time alone, Edward."

He nods sadly, and she steps out of his room and closes his door. She's shocked to find Rosalie waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs holding her car keys in her hand. She leads Bella out to the garage, where Alice is waiting in the back seat of Rosalie's convertible. Alice chimes out, "We'll take you home now, Bella. And we'll make sure he gives you some time tonight. Alone."

Rosalie waits until they're far from the house until she says, "He loves you, Bella. He truly does. He believes it completely when he says that he will never love another. And he is right that we, as vampires, have static and unchanging feelings. There is a chance that he will never love another woman the way he loves you. But he has forgotten that the fact that you are his singer does not make you his intended. It makes you the best meal he could ever have."

They are quiet for the rest of the drive. As Rosalie puts the car in park, she says, "You have everything that matters right at your fingertips, Bella. Don't throw it all away."

"I'm afraid, Rose," Bella whispers.

Rosalie replies quietly, "Would you believe that I even miss being afraid?"

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob wakes up sprawled sideways across the bed, legs dangling mostly over the edge. Last night was amazing. Too bad it didn't happen. He is perversely pleased that his towel stayed wrapped around his waist. It's much easier to wash than the set of sheets.

After showering and eating a quick breakfast, he stops at the desk to see if they have any transit maps. The desk clerk looks a lot like the prostitute he saw hanging around the first night he arrived. She is even more unfortunate-looking. He wonders if they're related, and his suspicion is confirmed when she switches from shameless flirting to an outright proposition. It's the most horrifying offer he's ever gotten: that she and her sister can show him a good time, and that they'll do whatever he likes, together. She waffles her brow suggestively at him as she rearranges her tube top, and he flees out the front door.

It doesn't take long for him to get back to the bus stop where he discovered the vampire's scent. He starts to run along the route of the bus, looking for all the world like a jogger. Who jogs really, really fast. He explores each stop, but unfortunately finds no trace of the vampire. Either it didn't get off until the end of the line, or the rain washed the scent away.

By mid afternoon he arrives back in Stanley Park. There are so many vampire trails at the entrance of the park that it is very difficult to distinguish any one in particular, but it's still his best lead. He slows his jog so as to be able to explore the area more thoroughly. When he comes across the rogue vampire's scent near a playground full of little children, he gets more concerned. What is it with this vampire and kids? First a school, and now a playground? His fear only grows when he also finds traces of the vampire near the miniature train station and the water park. Is this thing targeting children? It would be an awfully conspicuous thing for a vampire to do. Does it drag off entire families to drain? He's not sure if he should be pleased or upset that none of the trails he finds are fresh.

He's rounding a bend in the path when he spots the sno-cone girl handing a red cone to a little girl. She looks up and catches his eye. He gives her a polite nod and tries to walk past, but she stops him. She's clearly flustered, but sticks her hand out to shake his.

"I think I owe you a thank you," she says quietly, blushing.

"It was really nothing. Anybody would have done the same." He removes his hand from hers.

"Um, no, not everybody would have done the same." She shakes her head. "I don't know exactly what that guy wanted from me, but it wasn't to steal my sno-cones."

"Yeah. Unfortunately I think you're right about that. I'll bet your cones are really good, though. Probably worth stealing."

A lovely smile breaks out over her face. "Well, in that case, as a reward for saving me, I think I owe you free sno-cones for life."

They both laugh, and when Jacob's empty stomach makes a loud rumble, she turns back to her cart and makes a cone for him. "Pick your poison. I've got cherry, blue raspberry, lemon, watermelon,, and green apple."

"Oh, I can't turn down food. I'm a growing boy. I'll take the lemon."

As she scoops out his cone, she tilts her head back to look at him. She's tall for an Asian girl, probably 5'8", but she still has to tip back to see him properly. "God, I hope you're not still growing!" As she hands him the cone, she says, "Oh, and I'm Mina, by the way."

He tries to pull out his wallet to pay her and replies, "Jacob."

She looks genuinely appalled at his attempt to pay her. "Are you kidding me? Put your money away! Free sno-cones for life, remember? Or at least while I still have this crappy job."

He chuckles and licks his cone. "You mean this isn't your ultimate goal in life? Pushing this cart around this park forever?"

"Nah. I'm going to med school in the fall. Since I have a future again, thanks to you." She turns serious again. "Hey, what happened with that guy, anyway? I was worried something bad happened to you when you didn't come back."

"I just ran him off. Not a scratch on me." He holds his arms out to illustrate.

"And not a scratch on me either, thanks to you." She's smiling at him. He can tell she's waiting for him to ask her out. She's easy to talk to, she's probably smart since she got into medical school, she's very pretty, and when he saves her from a vampire she thanks him instead of running off to save the vampire. She's giving him a look he's seen more and more on womens' faces since he got taller, broader, and more muscled. That, in addition to the fact that she believes he saved her from some awful fate, which he did, means he has a date tonight if he wants one. If only he wanted one. As far as he can tell, she has only one flaw. That she is not, in fact, Bella Swan.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Mina. Stay away from the creeps from now on, okay? I've got to go, but thanks for the cone."

She looks disappointed. Jacob can feel his Y chromosome being revoked. "Maybe I'll see you around, Jacob. Come get another cone the next time you're in the park, okay?"

As he smiles and walks away, he hears Quil's voice screaming at him in his head to turn around and go back, and wonders if he will ever get over Bella Swan.

He manages to avoid Mina for the rest of the evening, and settles in to wait for vampires. He has no way of knowing if his vampire will show up anytime soon, but he has no other leads. There is a reasonable chance that he will run into other vampires, though, and he isn't sure how he feels about that. If he sees one threatening someone again, he'll obviously go after it. But he's not here to rid Vancouver of its leech problem. Is he? He's not supposed to be Batman in this Canadian Gotham, is he? His father certainly didn't seem to think so.

He tries to envision another life. He almost feels like he should try to find one. Bella has been completely clear with him. She loves him, but not enough. She wants him as a friend, and a friend alone, and he can take it or leave it. She's engaged to another man, and she has every intention of turning into his mortal enemy in a few short weeks. So why does he feel like going out with another girl would be cheating on Bella?

Maybe, when there's really no hope left, none at all, he'll try to move on. He supposes he'll have to. He won't have much a choice. But Bella is still alive, and he fully intends to keep it that way, even if she does not.

Furthermore, now that he's starting having intense dreams about her, he feels like has confirmation of what's he's believed all along. That he and Bella would be just perfect together. If only Bella would figure that out.

He stays in the park long enough to come up with a theory. During the day, there is too much light and there are too many people around for a vampire to do any hunting. By true nighttime, the place is deserted. And if there are no humans to prey on, there is no point in the vampires hanging about. Dusk, therefore, must be the most dangerous part of the day.

Tonight, though, there aren't any vampires about. He has no idea why, but he can sense that there is nothing threatening around him. Once nightfall is complete, and he has waited around long enough to be confident that nothing will happen tonight, he heads back to his motel, picking up dinner along the way.

He feels ridiculous, but he really wants to go to sleep and see if Bella is waiting for him in his dream.

She is.


	14. Chapter 14

Rating: MA for lemons

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Tuesday night

X-x-x-x-X

_When Bella opens the door to room 128, she's disappointed to find it empty. She was really hoping to find him tonight. Last night she had experienced a new sort of happiness. A Jacob sort of happiness. She wants to feel him laughing against her lips again._

_She's not a bold person, not at all, but she has the sudden urge to lie down naked in the bed. She wants to see the look on his face when he realizes she has nothing on under the covers._

_What actually happens is that she falls asleep within moments of lying down._

_Jacob smiles when he arrives. She's in there. He can feel her._

_When he opens the door, the first thing he notices is the little puddle of pajamas on the floor. He smiles. The second thing he notices is her slow, even breathing. He chuckles to himself. She must have meant to seduce him, but fell asleep instead._

_It's still working. She is seducing him, even if she doesn't know it. Bella, naked, in his bed, waiting for him and him alone? Yeah. It's working._

_He silently approaches her. She's curled on her side away from him, sheet pulled all the way up to her chin. He can't quite decide how to start. Should he wake her up first? Kiss her on the cheek and say, "Honey, I'm home!" Or just turn her onto her back and just start ravaging her? Tickle her in the ribs like she did to him the previous night? He is getting hard thinking about his options._

_He starts by pulling the sheet down and brushing her long hair back, exposing her neck and pale shoulder. He loves the way her skin looks right now. Luminous. Smooth. Soft. Not freezing cold and hard as marble. She's going to stay this way. He'll make sure of it. He presses his lips to the spot where her neck meets her shoulder, lightly, so she doesn't wake up. He wants to look at her for a while longer._

_He pulls the sheet down a little farther revealing her long, slender arm. He loves the feeling of those arms wrapped around his neck when he goes in for a crushing hug. The sheet falls a little of its accord, so he can see her shoulderblade and the top of her spine. He wants to run his tongue down the dip of her back, tracing the outline of each vertebra with his tongue, but he's not ready to wake her. Not yet._

_Instead, he pulls the sheet down further, revealing her hand resting on her hip. He loves those slender fingers running along his scalp. It's a habit she developed before she knew she loved him. When they were just Jake 'n Bells. He would sit on the floor in front of her, casually watching television or just talking. He's not sure she even knew she did it, but she'd always eventually start playing with his hair. The sensation of her fingers lightly massaging his scalp, or her nails gently scratching, was heaven. He'd have to stop himself from humming in pleasure. Now he can add a different sensation to their repertoire. He wants her to tug hard on his hair while he goes down on her, or better yet when he's moving deep inside her. He wants her to yank on his hair while she screams out his name._

_He has outgrown his denim shorts, the head of his cock sticking painfully out of the inflexible waistband. He pauses to remove his clothes, and then crawls back onto the bed. The movement causes the sheet to slip down more, showing off the lovely curve of her backside. Jacob's mouth begins to water. If he had to pick a favorite body part on Bella... Okay, he could never pick just one. But he truly loves her ass. And now that he's held it in his palms to keep her writhing on his mouth, he can never look at it the same way again. And he had looked at it inappropriately enough to begin with._

_He wants to sink his teeth into it. Wants to leave a mark. Wants to spank her, lightly, enough to arouse and entice but not enough to hurt. Or maybe to hurt just a little, if she wants him to. He wants to see what it looks like when he pumps into her sweet pussy from behind._

_He tugs the sheet off all the way. He's surprised when she doesn't wake up. Maybe the warmth of his body, despite not being pressed against her, is enough to keep her warm._

_Bella has amazing legs. She doesn't seem to know it, but they're long, slender, and perfectly shaped. She doesn't need to wear high heels to make them look good. He actually prefers her barefoot rather than in shoes, walking with him along the beach, little toes wiggling in the sand. Right now her legs are curled up a little against her. He wants them wrapped around his waist. Or kneeling in front of him. Or thrown over his shoulders. Or kneeling on either side of his head. Okay, it's time to wake her up. Now he just has to figure out how. Oh, the possibilities._

_He starts by nuzzling his nose along the small of her back. He loves the way she smells. The vanilla and strawberries scent and her underlying Bella smell is intoxicating. It's sweet, like she is, warm, like she is, and appetizing, like she is. He reaches out his tongue, and runs it along the length of her spine, all the way up to the nape of her neck. She squirms a sigh of pleasure and shifts to turn around, but he holds her still with a hand on her hip. _

"_Not yet, baby."_

_He pauses to inhale the scent of her hair, then moves it off her neck and traces his nose back and forth over the trapezius muscle connecting her neck to her shoulder, back and forth, several times. He kisses along the same path, back and forth. He bares his teeth and lightly nips, and then massages the tiny bite with his tongue. She moans and tries to roll over again. He holds her still._

"_Not yet, baby."_

_He lifts her arm forward so he can access the skin along her side. He knows she's sensitive there, and runs his nose along her flesh again, still surrounded by her scent. Up and down, up and down. He extends his plump bottom lip to trace the same path as he moves back up, dragging along her skin. She's tingling all over from these gentle, barely there caresses. He reaches a particularly ticklish spot, and tortures her gently with his tongue. She squirms and giggles, and he relishes the sound. She tries to roll back again, and he pushes her gently but firmly onto her stomach. She's not getting the hint. He chuckles, and the deep, warm sound washes over her. _

"_Not yet, baby."_

_He moves to the other side of her back, and runs his nose up and down just to the left of her spine. He could do this all night. Maybe he will. (No, he won't). He switches to light kisses, up and down, and then runs his tongue along her flank. Her breathing grows heavy. So does his._

_She has no idea how long he's been doing this, but it's torture. Wonderful, sweet torture. He hasn't touched any of her obvious erogenous zones, and she's panting with want. But he won't let her turn over. He won't let her touch him, and he's barely touching her. She grips the pillow beneath her head and tries to hold still._

_Thankfully, he moves down of his own accord. She is very close to begging. He runs his nose along the fold under her left buttock, and then traces it with his tongue. He places tiny kisses all over her bottom. The tingling all over her body is turning into a warm flush, a deep heat. She is growing wet and swollen right where it counts. _

_His kisses change to little bites. He can't resist. He's not going to use his teeth enough to leave any marks, not tonight, and he pushes down the urge to really sink his teeth into her soft flesh. Each time she feels a little pinch, a jolt of pleasure shoots to her core. He's so close to where she wants him to be. Her want is rapidly turning into need._

_He uses his hand to spread her legs apart, and she sighs in relief. She's not sure how much more teasing she can take. Then she feels the tip of one finger stroke, so lightly she's not sure he's even there, along her outer lips. She tries to push herself down onto his hand, but he instantly moves away. _

"_Not yet, baby." His voice is low and husky. She wonders if she could come from the sound of him alone. _

_He's hot, hard, and dripping. He wants badly to pull up her hips and sink in, balls deep. She wants it too, he can tell. But the more he teases her, the harder she will come. He wants to see just how hard, and for how long, he can make her come. He sets it up as a challenge for himself. And Jacob Black does not back down from a challenge._

_He scoots down further, all the way to her feet. Her adorable little toes are wiggling. Her feet aren't as sensitive as his, but he doesn't mind. He can still make this work. He runs his nose along the bridge of her foot, just barely. The light sensation of his skin and the puffs of his breath turn her on even more. He repeats the motion on the other side, and then sits on his heel to bring one foot in his lap, and massages her foot with his large hands. She groans in response, so he does the same to the other foot._

_Then he releases her foot, bends down again, and licks a long pathway from just above her heel, up the backs of her leg, pausing to swirl his tongue in the back of her knee. Her hips are writhing into the mattress, trying to put some pressure on her core. He wants her so badly that he's biting his bottom lip so hard, in order to distract himself from his desire, that he is close to drawing blood. He can't see her face, but she's doing the same thing. He stills her hips with his large hands and a firm touch, pulls her up on her knees just a little, and can't wait any longer. He has to be inside her, now, at least for a little bit._

_She's aching for him, and is so happy when he fills her a deep, single thrust. She lets out a long, "Aaaaah," of pure satisfaction, and he pumps. He grunts low in his throat with each thrust. Once. Twice. A third time. Her breath is heaving. Her pussy is tight and hot. But he's not done, not by a long shot. He pulls all the way out and leans back on his heels. She is bereft._

"_Not yet, baby." His voice sounds strangled, and she knows he's torturing himself as much as he is torturing her. _

_He flips her onto her back, and then his entire body is pressed up against hers, and he's kissing her with deep, open mouthed kisses. Her catches her whimpering breaths against his own. The weight of him is wonderful, but she wants so much more. He kisses her for long minutes, grinding his erection into her thigh. She can feel wetness seeping from the tip and sliding along her leg. As he licks along her lips, she grabs his firm ass and tries to pull his hips toward hers, but he's too strong._

"_Not yet, baby."_

_She pouts in protest, so he grabs her lovely bottom lip between his teeth and bites down gently. She loves it and she moans, and the sound is almost enough to break his considerable self control._

_Instead, he moves down her body, and draws her right breast deep into his mouth. This has two purposes. First, to torture her further, and second, to get his needy cock away from her body. He is determined to make this last as long as possible before fucking her. He needs to hear her beg. He sucks at the nipple deeply, and rolls the other between his fingers. She's very sensitive here, and they both know that if he does it just right, he can make her come from this alone. _

_But he doesn't want her to come, not yet. When she comes, he's going to be deep inside her._

_He switches his mouth and his fingers from side to side, bring her close and then backing away, over and over again. He rolls her nipple between his lips, then rapidly flicks his tongue across the tip, then sucks deeply, then stops altogether to just look at her. He has achieved one goal tonight. She has both fists buried into his thick, black hair, trying to keep his mouth in one place long enough to bring her to satisfaction. But he refuses. He does lower his mouth back to her breasts again long enough to bite down on her nipple, again gently, enough to make her cry with want, but not enough to hurt. _

_He shifts up again and drags the head of his cock against her swollen, aching clit. He does it once. Twice. A third time. It's heaven. It's hell. She's vibrating beneath him, head thrashing side to side. She feels him start to back away, and finally breaks down and begs, "Jacob, please, Jacob!"_

_He responds by dragging his cock against her once more, not quite enough to make her come. His voice is breaking. _

"_Not yet, baby."_

_She is more frustrated than she has ever been. She loves him. She hates him. She needs his cock, his mouth, his hands, something. She is so, so close. She just needs a little more. "No, yes... please, more!"_

_He is silent as he ignores her cries. He moves down to press his cheek to her stomach. She skin there is soft, and her belly is smooth and flat. He moves to brush his nose along her navel. He knows how close she is, that just one brush of his finger or his tongue will set her off. He's not ready for that yet, even though she wants it more than anything. He drops light kisses on her belly and waits for her to calm down, just a little, just enough for her to back away from the edge. His skin is hot against hers, and soft. He slowly opens and closes his eyes to brush his lashes against her, and the sweetness of the gesture melts her heart. _

_As soon as he's confident that she won't orgasm as soon as he touches her again, he bends down to rest his head between her legs. He runs his hands along her inner thighs, and just looks up at her. She picks her head up to figure out what he's doing, and they just stare at each other for long moments. She feels open, exposed. If it were anyone else she would be scared at the look that he's giving her. His eyes are focused, hard. There is a determined tension in his jaw. She realizes he's memorizing her, again. _

_He drops his gaze from her face to her pussy, and she can hear him take in an audible breath. He's inhaling her essence. He wants to cover himself in it and never wash it off. Then he lowers his nose to the juncture of her thigh, and her skin tingles at the light touch. He follows with tiny kisses on her upper legs. She can feel herself throbbing, she wants him so badly. Her voice is a bare whisper, "Jacob... Jacob... please..."_

_He moves just enough to press his kisses on her outer lips. It's closer, but it's still not enough. In frustration, she reaches for her nipples with both hands, and rolls them between her thumbs and index fingers. She didn't know it before Jacob started touching her, but she likes them pinched. Hard._

_He stops altogether, and moves to pull her hands away. He pins them at her sides._

"_Not yet, baby." His voice is firm. Even though he has stopped her from pleasuring herself, has taken his lips and hands away from her core, his voice brings her level of arousal up even further. She squirms a little to see what he will do. He pins her down more firmly, and she aches for him even more. There's nothing else she can do, so she just whimpers beneath him and bites her bottom lip. He loves it._

_When he's confident she won't try anything, he releases his grip and returns to her core. He opens his mouth and shoves his tongue deep inside her, and she wails. He takes long licks along her lips, then plunges his hot, thick tongue back in. She moans and squirms and clamps her thighs down on his head. He swirls his tongue in broad circles at her entrance. He studiously avoids her swollen nub, letting her climb higher and higher, and again, just when she is about to come, he pulls away._

"_Not yet, baby."_

_She is so, so ready, so desperate, that a few tears actually slip out of the corners of her eyes. He stalks up her body, looking like the predator he is, and hovers over her. He bends his lips to capture her tears, and tastes the salt on his lips. She can't help but be comforted by the gesture, despite her desperation. Her voice is a pleading whisper, "Jacob... Jacob." _

_He stops her with another deep, slow kiss, doing with his tongue exactly what she wants, but in the wrong place. He's holding his body stiffly above her, so she can't get any other contact with her needy body. He stares hard at her mouth, determination in his eyes. He lowers his hips enough to drag his length against her wetness again, draws her lubrication along his cock. It brushes up gently against her clitoris, and she tries to wiggle down to increase the pressure, but he keeps backing away. _

_After long moments of that torture, he lifts off her entirely and she wants to scream in frustration, until she sees him crawling up the bed, the predatory gleam back in his eye. She leans up on her elbow, and he kneels beside her, his swollen cock glistening with their intermingled fluids, right beside her head. _

_She's panting heavily. Oh dear lord yes. Now she can torture him like he's been torturing her. She licks her lips in anticipation, and he sucks in a gasping breath._

_He reaches out his left hand to twist his fist in her hair, and firmly but gently draws her toward his enormous cock. She looks up to meet his eyes, her breath washing over the head of his penis. His eyes are hard and glittering, hers are desperate and pleading, and he tugs her forward. His grip is firm in her hair, but it doesn't hurt one bit. She opens her mouth, and the head of his cock slips in between her luscious lips. _

_Oh god. The taste of him and the taste of her blended together is the most sensual thing she's ever tasted. She's moaning openly against his skin. She enthusiastically sucks him into her mouth as she feels the pressure of his hand on the back of her head, and she reaches with her free hand to grip his base. His feral grunts are music to her ears. _

_She tries to back off so that she can run her tongue along his length, but his grip is too firm. He keeps her mouth wrapped around his cock. His dominance pushes her arousal further, and she pumps and sucks enthusiastically. She doesn't realize she's moaning around him. His balls tighten against his body. He's about to come, but he doesn't want to come in her mouth. Not tonight._

_So he pulls away, suddenly, and she nearly falls over from the sudden loss of him._

_Now his voice is a growl. "Not yet, baby."_

_He needs to calm down, or he's going to come at any second. Not that she would mind._

_He dives back between her legs, and goes straight for her clit. She's so close that he can only swirl his tongue around it twice before he realizes that if he doesn't stop immediately, she's going to orgasm. He's still not going to let her._

"_Not yet, baby." He's barely audible._

_He backs off to place gentle kisses on her upper thighs again, and she begins another litany of begging. "Jacob... Jacob... please... please... I can't take it anymore."_

_He laves his tongue along her slit, not deep enough to be inside her, not high enough to touch her clitoris, and listens to her as she squirms. "You have to... I need... Please, Jacob. Anything. Do anything to me. Do anything with me. I'm yours. Just, please!"_

_She fists his hair with both hands and tries to pull his mouth more firmly on her body. He loves the tugging sensation on his scalp. _

_He grins lasciviously at her and crawls back up her length and stares down at her. Her hair is a mess from thrashing against the pillow. Her whole body is flushed and she is covered in a sheen of sweat. The smell of her arousal is enough to make him dizzy, and he can taste her essence on his tongue. She is gripping at his scalp so hard that she has broken the skin. He feels like a god._

_He drags his cock against her clitoris one more time, and then holds still, and finally lets her squirm a bit against him to relieve her need. But again, when she's about to come, he pulls back, and she moans in frustration. "Jacob, Jacob, fuck me, please!"_

"_Not yet, baby."_

_Instead, he lowers his lips to her neck and licks over her pulse point. She writhes and arches her back, just able to press her hard nipples against his chest. It's the most contact that he allows her. He licks long lines over the column of her throat, and then gently bites down on her clavicle._

_She's a mess. She hasn't stopped moaning or begging or wailing for several minutes. She arches, wiggles, squirms, and grabs at his arms and his shoulders. She grips his firm buttocks and tries to bring him closer, but he's going to do what he wants, when he wants, and there's nothing she can do to change his mind. _

_Finally, finally he moves his hand between her legs. She feels him stroking her gently, on the outside, and whimpers more in frustration. Then he slides two fingers in as far as they will go. He stills them then, since she's so close to coming, any more movement at all will set her off. She clenches at his hand with her internal muscles and tries to wiggle to make contact with the base of his hand against her clitoris. He stays just out of reach as he keeps his face buried in her neck, breathing her in. _

_He waits until she's not quite so close, then curls his fingers just a little, inside her cunt where several nerve endings come together. She cries out, locks her legs around his hand, and tries to keep him there, but he removes his hand. Her whole body aches with his withdrawal._

"_Jacob! Jacob! I need you! Fuck me, fuck me, please!"_

_He can't take it any longer, either. He has to be inside her. His cock is so hard it hurts. He centers his hips between her legs, and pushes just the head of his cock in. He's almost as close as she is, so he moves at a snail's pace until he's buried to the hilt. He holds her hips still with his hands so she can't wiggle against him, can't bring herself any more pleasure on his body than he is willing to give. He settles deep inside her, and doesn't move. _

_She feels so, so full. She's crying again, both needing him to move and being so, so happy that he's inside her. He's gigantic, and even not moving at all, he feels amazing filling her. They're both vibrating with tension, but otherwise not moving. It's torture. She keeps begging. "Please, please, Jacob, move."_

_She can barely hear him, even though his mouth is right next to her ear._

"_Not yet, baby."_

_They're both so close that if he makes a single move, it'll be all over. And he's just finally made it inside her. He still wants this part to last._

_He kisses her lips, her nose, her ears, her cheeks, staying still, deep in her body. She clenches and releases around him, but gradually comes down a bit from the edge. When she finally feels a little relaxed, he begins to move. He only pulls back a couple inches before he pushes back inside. He rocks gently against her and in her. It's wonderful._

_Her fingernails are still digging into his back, leaving marks. He wishes he wouldn't heal so fast, so that he could feel what she's left on his skin after they are done. _

_Slowly, slowly, he moves. He leaves his angle such that he doesn't drag against her clitoris, and the gentle pace keeps her from having an orgasm. Right now she doesn't care. She has been waiting all night. She can wait a little longer, now that she feels so full with him. She knows he won't stop until she's completely satisfied. She moans and sighs and relaxes a bit as he slips in and out of her, so gently. _

_She wants him to know how she feels. "You make me feel so good, Jacob." She pauses for a long, "aaaah," as he slips mostly out of her, and then an extended, "mmmmmm" as he rocks back in. "I want to keep you here forever."_

_He grins, and she understands that that is what this evening has been about. Making it last as long as possible. Making their time together last as close to forever as he can. The look in his eye is different. He wants her to be happy._

_She stretches and arches her back as he continues slipping in and out of her. Now he's the one moaning, continuously. But still not picking up the pace enough for either of them to come. _

"_You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Jacob Black."_

_He pulls his face from her neck and looks at her. He smiles, a warm, happy smile, and pulls nearly out of her. He shifts to sit on his ankles, draw her butt up so she's resting her backside on his knees, braces his hands on either side of her waist, her knees bent around his forearms. "Now, Jake?" she asks._

"_Now, honey." He finally, finally, slams firmly into her body. _

_They both wail. He's finally done torturing her. This time, he pounds harder and harder into her with each thrust. He's ready for her to come, and they both know it. He wants her to come harder than she ever has. "Yes! Unh... Unh... Yes!... Oh!" She screams with each deep thrust. He's grunting and sweating, and she has to reach over her head to brace her hands against the headboard so she doesn't slam into it. He's biting his bottom lip so hard he bleeds. She punctuates each thrust with a yell, "Fuck!... Fuck!... Jake!... Fuck!". Bella feels the explosion building deep within her belly. Her entire body is shaking. She can't keep her eyes open. Can't get in enough air. He's as deep as he can go with each movement of his hips, and he finally grinds against her clit to punctuate the thrust. Once. Twice. A third time. She comes so hard she sees stars behind her closed eyes. Screams his name on one long breath, "Jaaaaaake!", her hot pussy clenching around his desperate cock, and passes out._

_It takes him a few seconds to realize what happened. She's too relaxed under him. Shit. He wanted to fuck her into oblivion. But not literally. He doesn't know what to do. He hasn't come yet, and his balls ache, his cock hurts. He can't seem to stop fucking her, but it feels wrong. She's not around to tell him it's okay. He reduces his thrusts to shallow rocking. It's the best he can do, he needs her so badly._

_When she comes to, it's probably only a minute later. Her whole body is humming, and he is still fucking her, slowly and gently. She opens her heavy lids to look up into his face. He looks like he's in physical pain. He's as desperate now as she was earlier._

_As he rocks in and out of her, he groans, "Unh... Honey... Unh... Are you... unh... okay?" She nods and smiles a blissful smile at him. "Mmph... I'm sorry... I should've... unh... stopped... Unh... I can't stop... unh... You feel so... mmph... so fucking... mmph... so good..."_

_It was a turn on, before, her usually talkative Jacob being silent, other than his denials of "Not yet, baby" in her ears. She's more used to this. It's also turning her back on, that and the rocking of his cock inside her. She stares at his mouth. His plump, red lips swollen and wet. "I'm glad you didn't stop, baby. I always want to wake up this way. With your cock in me."_

"_Fuuuuck..." he groans, and picks up his pace. "I need... Unh... I need... to fuck you... I need... Unh... Goddamn... Unh... Can I fuck you... harder baby... or is it... unh... too much... unh..." He swallows thickly._

_She's getting keyed up again, his broken, desperate words telling her how badly he wants her. She peeks up at him through her lashes, and bites her bottom lip. He stares at it, remember her lips around his shaft, licking their mutual fluids off him._

"_You think.. mmm... after all that... mmm... teasing... that I'm gonna... unhh... let you... get away... unhh... with just... one orgasm?"_

_Her clit is throbbing again, her womb aches for him to pound into her again. _

"_God... thank god... oh, Bella..." He pumps firmly a couple more times, and pulls out. _

_She surprised until he turns her over, and pulls her up on her knees. He pushes down her shoulder, and tells her, "Grab the headboard, baby. Brace yourself. I have to take you. Like the animal that I am," he growls._

_She moves to follow his instructions, and waits. She hears him shifting behind her, and then the sound of flesh on flesh, but feels nothing. She turns her head, and nearly comes again when she sees what he's doing. He's sitting back on his heels, staring at her dripping core and submissive position, pupils black and dilated, biting his bottom lip hard. Oh god. Jacob is touching himself. He is gripping himself tightly in his right hand and is pumping firmly. Harder than she would have thought to do. Her mouth goes dry. She gets lightheaded with arousal as she watches him._

_He tears his gaze from her lower body and meets her eyes. "You like watching me, honey?"_

_She can't think the words she needs to respond, so she just nods, and looks back down at his huge length in his fist. _

_He whispers, "I wanna watch you too. I wanna watch you come all over your own hand."_

_Does he want it now? She's nervous, but if he gets as turned on watching her as she is watching him, she's willing. She gulps in air and starts to straighten up._

_He lets go of himself and pushes her back down, gripping her shoulder. His hand is still wet from touching himself, her fluids and his mingled on his hand. She shudders with want. "Some other time, baby. I have to be in you now." And he buries himself in her again. _

_Oh. Oh. Goddamn. This angle is the best yet. She falls forward, her forehead touching the pillow. He slides out. Slides back in. Each movement drags the head of his penis against the front of her walls, hitting something... something... she can't even finish the thought. She's overwhelmed._

_He pumps deeply into her, grunting with each thrust. He can't talk any longer, and neither can she. Her voice escapes her in a long, continuous moan, punctuated only by gasping. He grabs her hips in both hands, trying to keep her still so he can get as deep as possible with each thrust of his hips. He goes faster. And faster. And faster. Each time stroking his big cock against that... something... that makes Bella crazy. _

_Her voice drives him mad. He can hear his own growls and grunts in the background, but his ears are filled with her continuous, "Aaaaaaaah," punctuated by a loud, "mmph" each time he hits her cervix. He wants to record it, play it back whenever he needs to hear her._

_She struggles to stay partly upright, one hand braced against the headboard to keep them from moving up the bed with his pounding, the other grabbing the pillow underneath her. He sounds like an animal. His grunts turn into snarls. He pistons into her. She feels him bend forward so his chest is pressed up against her back, forcing his cock at an angle that presses him even harder into the spot that makes her wild, and she starts to come apart around him again. _

_She comes, and comes, and comes. He buries his face in her hair. He keeps her firmly in place with his left hand grasping her hip, and keeps pounding, drawing out her orgasm to incredible lengths. He supports his bent position with his right hand on top of hers on the headboard. He couldn't get any closer to her if he tried. She's still coming, and now becoming overly sensitive, so he slows his hips a bit and draws in deep, calming breaths. She's squirming a bit now, and not in a good way, so he holds himself still, buried fully inside her._

_He waits until she has calmed down a bit and her breathing has slowed. He licks his lips and asks her, his voice as deep as she has ever heard, "Can you take any more, honey?"_

"_Oh, God, Jacob. You're insatiable. Whatever you have to give me. God, yes."_

_So he sits back on his heels again, and draws her backward into his lap. She has said she's ready for more, but he can tell she could use another minute to regroup. So he leaves her sitting on his cock, back pressed up to his, her legs bent on either side of his, and moves her hair aside to kiss along her neck. He feels her spasm around him a little when he reaches the sensitive spot behind her ear. He reaches around and cups her breasts in both hands. Her throbs inside her. She tilts her head to the side to kiss him, and brings her arm up and to the side to bury her hand into his hair again. He loves it. As his lips meet hers, he pinches her left nipple gently between his fingers, and slips his right hand down. He gathers some of their wetness with his fingers, feeling with his hand where their bodies are joined, and slips one finger over her clitoris. _

_She bucks and moans, and has to let go of his lips as she arches her back, pressing her breast further into his hand, rocking forward against his cock. She keeps her hand buried in his hair, and squirms and moves over him. _

_He clenches his jaw. He really, really wants to lift her up and slam her down, but he knows how good his fingers feel on her clitoris, and he can't manage both at once, so he waits just a little longer. He buries his nose into the crook of her neck, pinches her nipple harder, and works her clitoris with his hand. _

_Her whole body is tingling with pleasure. She grabs her other breast with her free hand and tugs at the nipple the same way he's doing with his other hand. He lets out a guttural moan at her movement, his cock twitches inside her, otherwise still, and speeds his fingers against her nub in rapid circles. It doesn't take long. She couldn't hold out if she wanted to. When he gently pinches her clit between his soaking thumb and forefinger, and rolls, she's gone. Her head falls back against his shoulder, and she rides the wave. _

_She's coming again, bucking and writhing all over him, and he can't take it any longer. He grabs her by the hips, picks her up so far he almost slides out, and yanks her back down. His hips buck up in rhythm with his hands on her hips. He does it again, and again, and again. She keeps coming all over him as he slams her onto his cock, hard. He's just yelling incoherent nonsense now, a jumble of feral snarls and cursing. In her orgasmic haze, she realizes she's swearing as well, and just when she thinks she'll pass out again, she feels him stiffen against her, and he roars. He slams her against his body one last time, his seed exploding, and exploding, and exploding against her womb._

_They collapse onto their sides, still joined, and both instantly fall into a deep, dreamless sleep._


	15. Chapter 15

Rating: MA for violence

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Wednesday

X-x-x-x-X

Bella peers at her reflection early the next morning. Her lips are swollen and a deep shade of pink, her skin is flushed and practically glowing, and she has sex hair. How does this happen when you're by yourself? She is so, so glad that Edward wasn't in her room last night. She is absolutely certain that she must have been calling out Jacob's name all night long. She can only hope that Charlie slept through it.

When she sees him at breakfast, she asks him again about his UPS box, which neither of them has found. It is starting to bother her. Where could it have gone? On the bright side, she is confident Charlie didn't hear her last night, or if he did, is willfully misinterpreting what he heard. He isn't acting awkward around her, and whatever skills Charlie possesses, hiding his embarrassment around her isn't one of them.

She isn't so lucky when she runs into Leah Clearwater after her shift at Newton's. She is shopping for groceries so that she can make dinner. Leah is pushing a half-full cart with one hand, clutching a cup of coffee in her other fist, and glaring at Bella. She looks exhausted.

"So, if it isn't the little porn star."

Bella's eyes widen in horror, and her jaw drops open. Oh, no. Not again. "Who was on patrol?" she whispers, afraid of the answer. There are no acceptable answers to this question, just bad ones, and worse ones.

"Yours truly. I'm stuck on nighttime leech-lover patrol for the indefinite future, or at least until Jake comes back to screw some sense back into you."

Bella has no idea how to respond to either of these statements, neither about Leah nor about Jacob. "I'm sorry?" Bella squeaks.

"Yeah. Every one of the pansy-ass guys are too embarrassed to sit outside your window and listen to you moaning on about Jake. So I got stuck with it. You know, most of the time we rotate the night shifts to give each other a break. But no one is willing to help me out this time around. Go figure."

Bella just blinks blankly at Leah.

"Even the virgins have watched their fair share of porn. You'd think none of them had ever heard a woman groan before."

Bella is redder than she had ever been, and is still gaping at Leah. Bella isn't sure it could get any worse. Poor Edward has heard her, innocent, sweet Seth, Leah of course, and by proxy, all of the wolves. Oh god. Probably Jacob himself. "Has... has he... has he" she stutters.

"Has Jacob overheard you? Not yet, I don't think. He hasn't phased in a couple days."

"After he killed that vampire?"

Leah looks confused. "Yeah, how'd you know about that?"

"Edward told me."

"Oh, wow. I would have loved to have heard that conversation. Why do I have to hear you beg for Jake's..." she trails off and gestures vaguely with her hand, "every night, but I'm never around for the good stuff?"

Bella finally frowns at Leah, "Well, if it's any consolation, it was every bit as awful as you'd think it would be."

Leah looks genuinely curious. "So, have you dumped his sparkly ass yet?"

Bella isn't ready to be having this conversation, especially not with Leah Clearwater. "Not, not exactly."

Both of Leah's eyebrows rise up on her forehead. "Not exactly?" She prompts.

Bella can't stop stuttering, "Not... not... not..."

"Not yet?" Leah fills in the gap.

Bella still can't think it, let alone say it out loud. She remains silent.

"Well, I think he's getting the hint, you know. When he came into your room last night, it only took, like, five minutes of you screaming out Jake's name to drive him out the window. Creepy, if you ask me." She pauses and thinks for a moment, then corrects herself. "Even creepier than usual, I mean."

Damn. She thought he was staying away. She thought Rose and Alice were going to keep him out of her bedroom last night. She stutters uselessly again, "I... I...I didn't..."

Leah rolls her eyes. "Okay, fine. This has been a stimulating and riveting conversation, though. You're a real wordsmith, Swan. I'm gonna get going. I'm trying to get home in time to take a nap before I have to be back at your house tonight." She starts to push her cart away.

Bella finds her voice just in time. "Hey, Leah, don't..." she trails off, still incoherent and embarrassed.

Leah turns back to look at her. "Don't tell Jake?"

Bella nods.

Leah scoffs. "Fat chance! The sooner I get his sexy butt back here, the sooner I can sleep in my own bed at night. Even if you don't actually let him screw your brains out, I'm sure he'll be happy to sit outside all night long listening to you scream his name."

Bella forgets half the items she needed at the store.

X-x-x-x-X

Saturday

X-x-x-x-X

Three days pass before Bella sees Leah in person again. Charlie has just started a string of (misnamed) afternoon shifts, so her evenings are her own. She had asked Edward for time, and he is giving it to her. Part of her is disappointed he has listened to her, but more of her is relieved. It doesn't stop Alice from coming to see her, though, and she is grateful for the continued friendship. It makes her wonder whether she can keep the Cullens in her life even if she doesn't become one of them.

Her dreams have continued to be vivid and amazing (privately) and humiliating (publicly), and she actually feels a bit relieved when she realizes that Leah is probably still the only one in the past few days who has heard them directly. She has studiously avoided going to bed before Charlie, despite how late he gets home, for fear that he will walk into the house, hear her screaming and moaning at an absent Jacob, and burst into her bedroom, gun in hand, ready to murder his best friend's son. She waits until he falls asleep before she allows herself to sleep, and the next morning he keeps acting normally, so she is confident he hasn't heard her.

On Saturday, a heavy rain begins to fall after the sun goes down. It is heavy on the roof, pouring over the edges of the gutter, and causing the backyard to turn into a giant mud puddle. She looks outside and thinks of Leah in the soaking cold, miserable, waiting for Bella to embarrass herself when she sleeps. She debates for several minutes, thinking of the last time she invited a wolf in from the rain, but finally opens the door and calls for Leah, who soon comes stalking out of the woods, soaked from head to toe.

"What is it, Swan?" Leah gets right to the point.

Bella holds out a steaming cup of tea, realizes it is rapidly getting diluted with rainwater, and pulls herself back under the shelter of the porch. "Why don't you wait it out in here?"

Leah debates momentarily, looking between the warm, dry house, and the cold, dripping forest. "I guess since my whole job here is to keep you from dying, I can probably accomplish it just as well from inside your house, huh?"

Bella steps back to let her in, and hands her the tea and goes to get a towel. By the time she gets back, the mug has been drained, and Leah is squeezing rainwater out of her flimsy sundress. Bella can see every outline of her body through the soaked clothes, and feels simultaneous stabs of jealousy and pity for Leah, who can't possibly enjoy her wolf brothers seeing her like this. But what Bella wouldn't give to look more like Leah. Leah catches her staring, and begins, "Take a picture, Swan, it'll last... oh, screw it. I don't have the energy. Thanks for letting me in."

Bella startles herself by laughing out loud at the aborted statement, and Leah surprises herself by laughing back.

"What a pair we are, Swan." She towels off her hair.

"I don't have much that's long enough to fit you, but Charlie has a comfy old bathrobe that would work, and it's clean. I just washed it."

Leah hands over her used towel and nods, heading into the bathroom to change. When she returns, Bella has two different mugs waiting. "I made hot chocolate," she points at one cup, "and hot chocolate with a couple scoops of instant coffee, for the caffeine."

Leah reaches for the second. "You read my mind."

"Well, I really can't thank you enough..."

Leah immediately cuts her off with a wave of her hand, "Please don't get all mushy. You're welcome." She looks up with a hard look in her eye. "Just don't waste all our hard work keeping you alive, okay?"

Bella frowns into her hot chocolate. She doesn't particularly want to have a heart to heart conversation with Leah Clearwater, but the list of people she can talk to is very short. "I don't know what to do."

Leah snorts. "Yes, you do."

Bella looks up at her. "I'm not as strong as you are, Leah. I can't fall for him only to watch him look into some other girl's eyes, and suddenly lose it all."

"Isn't it a little late for that?"

"What do you mean?"

Leah shakes her head incredulously. "Anyone within earshot of this place knows you've already fallen for him, Swan. That ship has sailed."

"Leah, I can't..." She stops to gather her thoughts, and Leah interrupts her.

"Like, say he comes back tomorrow with his imprint in tow. Are you gonna be any less devastated by it since you never actually gave in and enjoyed him to begin with?"

The thought is a nightmare. She wonders just how far she can push this conversation. "If you knew then what you know now, wouldn't you have just skipped it all?"

Now Leah looks angry. "How dare you, Swan. I may be a bitter bitch sometimes, but do not presume to know me."

"But wouldn't you have?"

"Wouldn't I have dumped him before he could dump me? If I could go back and change things, that's not what I would have changed. But I'd change plenty. I'd get those damn bloodsuckers to leave before they fucked everything up. I'd have taken my dad's bacon away and replaced it with bran. I'd have made sure to be far the hell away from him the first time I phased. I'd get the fuck out of LaPush before I could turn into a wolf. I'd drag Sam out of LaPush before he could become a wolf. I wouldn't have skipped Sam."

Bella has no reply for this.

Leah continues, "I'm not gonna tell you he'll always love you, never leave you, never imprint. I, of all people, am not going to recommend to you that you get involved with a goddamn werewolf. But if you think that marrying that monster and turning into a bloodsucking murderer is going to solve your problems, you're out of your damn mind." Her voice is surprisingly gentle considering her harsh words.

"And anyway, Jake hates imprinting more than any of us. More than me, even, believe it or not. I have no idea if he could break it or not, although he seems to think so. But I don't doubt that he would at least try." She pauses for a sip of her drink. "Besides. Men aren't supposed to come with lifetime guarantees."

Bella is just too curious, and can't help herself. "Do you want it to happen to you?"

Leah looks startled, "You mean, do I want to imprint?" Bella nods.

"I don't think I can. I mean, that's why Sam didn't imprint on me. I've got the bloodline. If I could have kids, he'd have imprinted on me. So I don't think it's a possibility."

"Why not? Just because you weren't supposed to have kids with him, why does that mean you're not supposed to have kids with anybody?" Bella is genuinely confused.

"Damn. Do I have to spell it out for you? I don't bleed anymore, Swan."

"Since you phased?"

"Yeah. I'm a genetic dead end."

Bella is still very confused. "But you're not aging right now. Your body is in some kind of time-lock stasis. You can stop phasing and start aging again, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So when your body isn't locked in this one moment in time, you'll probably start ovulating again. Get your period back. Did you have it before you phased?"

Leah actually doesn't look angry right now. "Yeah, I did. It stopped when I phased."

"So, there you go. You'll just have to wait a bit before you can have kids."

"I'm not so sure about that." Leah looks very skeptical, but not angry any longer.

"Well, who really knows, anyway? Maybe you aren't Sam's imprint for some other reason. Like, you were really just supposed to be a wolf and not his mate. Like, can you imagine being double imprinted members of the pack? You'd be terrible at defending the pack or LaPush. Imagine two wolves, imprinted on each other, during a fight. The two of you wouldn't be able to think straight, coordinate with the other wolves. You'd be too freaked out about each other to accomplish anything."

"Maybe." She still looks doubtful.

They keep drinking in silence until bella asks, "Can I ask you for a favor?"

"Depends on the favor, I think."

"Can you let me know when Edward sneaks into my room?"

"Do you want me to stop him? I would love to stop him," Leah grins predatorily.

"No, just let me know, after?"

Leah narrows her eyes, but agrees. "You're sending him some mixed signals, Swan. You need me to spy on him, but you're still letting him in?"

"He's my fiancé, Leah."

She rolls her eyes. "You just keep telling yourself that."

Just then Charlie's cruiser parks in the driveway. Leah opens the back door, steps out, and casually sticks her bare arm back inside with Charlie's bathrobe in hand. "Night, Swan."

"Night, Leah."

X-x-x-x-X

Saturday

X-x-x-x-X

The last few days have been fruitless for Jacob. He hasn't caught wind of the rogue vampire in days, and is considering returning home. But he had also spoken with Billy on the phone, who reassured him that there had been no sign of the vampire in LaPush or Forks, either, so he has decided to give it another couple days.

It's getting late, and the sun has set over the western horizon. The lights of the city are reflecting off the low hanging clouds. Mina has already headed in for the night, giving him a little wave as she pushed her cart away from him. True to her word, she has been plying him with free cones every time they've run across each other. And since he keeps stalking the park, they have seen each other every day. It has gotten to the point that he has to watch out and avoid her for fear that she will start to wonder why he is taking another jog, again, three hours after she saw him doing the exact same thing.

She is still dropping hints left and right, and he is still artfully dodging them, although he is starting to wonder why. Just because he's desperately in love with someone else? Bella doesn't want him, won't ever choose him, so why doesn't he just move on?

He tries to imagine living differently. Staying here, maybe getting a job, taking Mina out on dates. He could probably make a decent life. But it would mean not going home, abandoning his father, abandoning his pack, hell, never graduating from high school, trying to pass like he's in his twenties like she is. Maybe that's how he should fend her off. Tell her his actual age and see if she runs off. It seems to freak Bella out plenty, and she's only two years older than he.

But Bella is the only future he can really see. She fits into his world just as easily as she fits in his arms. If they were together, when he got out of bed at midnight to run patrol, she wouldn't bat an eye. When he broke a bone and healed within a day, she wouldn't look twice. When his friends came to their house and ate their cupboards bare, she'd just roll her eyes and restock. She could go off to college, they could write and call and talk online, he would live for the times she comes home for the holidays and they could make Christmas dinner for their fathers. Maybe he could join her at school if the Cullens would only leave, and stop attracting other monsters to Forks. He could still become an architect or an engineer, and they could move to a big city. Or he could go to school online and wait for her to come home, and they could build a life together. He could take over as Alpha when Sam wants to step down. They could get married, she could teach at the school or open up a little business of her own, or write a novel. He could open a shop or become one of Charlie's deputies, and take care of her. They could have kids. Lots of kids. They could do anything.

And best of all, he could make her happy. He could make her so, so happy. It would be his most important goal in life. He can envision a hundred different futures. Each and every one contains Bella. Bella Black, not Isabella Cullen.

He wonders what she's doing right now. Probably wrapped in a monster's freezing embrace. He can't think about it too much or he will phase. It definitely doesn't occur to him that she is saying goodbye to Leah Clearwater after having a conversation about him.

He is startled out of his reverie by a breeze from the west blowing a nasty, acrid stench his way.

The hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and he resists the urge to phase. He needs more information before he runs off to kill a leech. He is certain that there are no humans nearby. He waits, quietly, and feels it approach from his left. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see that it isn't bothering to hide its rapid movement, too fast to be human, and is headed straight for him. He keeps his arms crossed over his chest, his legs sticking out in front of the bench he's sitting on, overlooking the water. He keeps his gaze trained straight ahead.

It sits next to him, staring at him blatantly. It is tall, blonde, and voluptuous. It would probably be pretty if it wasn't a horrible dead thing. It smells absolutely disgusting. Bleach, sweetness, ammonia, and decay. He tries to hold a straight face as he looks over the water. It has an underlying scent beyond its own that he recognizes. It smells, just a little, like that vampire he's tracking. This one must have been in relatively recent contact with the one he wants.

Its voice is low, and it is probably trying to sound seductive. The sound is like taking a cheese grater to his eardrums. "She didn't say you were so... beautiful." The horrible thing is stroking one of its cold fingers down his arm. He tries hard not to shudder in response. "It's too bad you smell of wet dog." It pauses and grins at him, still running its fingers up and down. "Lucky for me, I can hold my breath for a really, really long time."

It is taking every ounce of his considerable self control to stay human. But the more it talks, the more information he can gather. "What else did she say about me?"

The thing is still grinning at him. It has death's smile. "That you're very persistent." It moves its hand up to stroke the back of his neck. "I rather like that in a man."

He waits. It brings its face in close to his, sniffing at his pulse point, and then it pulls back and wrinkles its nose. "I don't think I could stand to drink you."

He can barely resist the urge to phase, but clamps it down hard within himself and remains still. Other than talking, he still hasn't budged. Not even to blink.

The vampire drops its voice so he can barely hear. "Maybe that's a good thing. I don't have enough self-control, otherwise. Since I've been turned, I haven't been able to resist the bloodlust long enough to fully enjoy a human man. I want to, I do. I miss the heat. I miss the friction. I miss taking a man. Like you."

Jacob is nauseous. Between the stench, its deadly, cold touch, and its awful words, he can barely stand it. But it hasn't given him any useful information, and he's out of leads. This thing is his best bet. He focuses his mind on Bella. His beautiful, warm, soft, sweet Bella. He can do this, for Bella.

"Is that why she told you to find me? She thought I might..." he can barely get the words out. The closest he can get is, "lend you a hand?"

It laughs, "No, of course not, no. It's just a bonus. I'm supposed to kill you." It winks at him. "She knows I like a challenge."

Thank god. He's finally getting somewhere. He has to keep her talking. He still hasn't looked it in the eye. He knows that once he does, he will be too tempted to phase and rip its head off. Right now, though, it just thinks this is his version of playing hard to get. Most human men are instantly smitten with it, and it prefers to play cat and mouse.

"And what makes her think I'm a challenge?"

"Well, you're still here, aren't you? You're still on her trail despite her best attempts at evasion. And her particular skills make her quite adept at evasion."

He would love to know what those skills are, but can't imagine this leech will just give it up, despite how talkative it is. He tries anyway. "Which are what, exactly?"

It looks at him incredulously, "You mean you don't know? I thought that's how you managed to follow her this far."

He shakes his head. And she replies, "Well, if I don't kill you tonight, have fun finding out."

He isn't sure it will give up any more information, but asks anyway. "So why doesn't she just come out and face me? Why send you?"

Now it looks amused. "She seems to think she's no match for you, physically. Although, despite your fine form," it is back to stroking his arm again, "I fail to see how a man such as yourself could hope to overpower her."

He drops his voice low and looks her straight in the eye. "Would you like to find out?"

It works. The leech thinks he is giving into its physical charms. It licks its lips and nods, eyeing him from head to toe. He has never felt more like a piece of meat.

He stands and hold his hand out to it. "Not here. Too public."

It places its hard hand in his, and he pulls it toward the woods. Once they are far enough in that they can't be seen from the path, it pushes him up against a tree and rips his shirt open. It breathes a soft, "Oh, my."

He tries to slow it down by talking. "What's your name?"

It smiles and traces a sharp nail down the center of his chest, and along his abdominal muscles. He stamps sown a shudder of revulsion. "I think we're done talking, don't you?" It reaches for the button of his shorts and lowers the zipper.

He swallows hard, tasting acid and bile in the back of his throat as it tugs off his shorts. He just has one more question. It's gaping at him. "How big is that when you're all ready to go?"

"Tell me where to find her, and I'll show you." His voice is a growl.

It looks back up to meet his eyes. "Oh, no. How stupid do you think I am?" It has one hand on his hip and the other wrapped around the back of his neck.

He reaches out a hand to brush its hair away behind its shoulder, bends down to place his mouth against the side of its neck, and whispers, "Pretty fucking stupid," and phases instantly, baring his teeth and sinking them into its hard flesh, knocking it onto the forest floor.

It would scream if it could. But he has ripped its larynx out already. It is looking up at him with wide, surprised eyes. But its survival instinct takes over, and it tries to push him off. Which is a mistake. It should have wrapped its arms around him and squeezed, but its attempt to push on his chest just brings its arms into range of his jaws, so he snaps the right arm cleanly off. It bats at his flank with its left arm, cracking a rib, and shoves at his belly with its feet, pushing him off. As he lands gracefully on all fours, it tries to stand and crouch defensively, but the effect is pathetic and comical with its missing limb and head wobbling on its damaged base.

Faintly, he hears Leah and Quil yelling in his head.

_What the fuck, man!_

_What the Hell are you doing?_

_Is that it, Jake? The one you've been looking for?_

_How come you get all the action?_

_Jake, she's trying to fake you!_

Jacob has seen this already. It is faking to the left, which makes no sense since this would leave its useless right side open to him, so clearly it will try to turn last second and try for him with its left arm, or perhaps its legs, if it can get that close. He easily dodges the move and steps out of the way. It crashes into the tree behind him, cracking the tree in half. It executes a rather impressive backflip to land squarely on its feet, and faces him again.

_What are you waiting for? Finish her! _

_He's just toying with her. May as well have a little fun._

He was going to drag more information out of it, but it clearly can't talk anymore. He really should put it out of its misery.

So he springs toward it, and it manages to dodge out of his way enough to keep its head attached to its body, but not enough to keep its other arm.

He hears Quil in his head, ridiculously yelling, _Oh, snap!_

While Leah is yelling, _Just rip the head off already, stop screwing around! It can still get its legs around you and crush you!_

So before it can figure out how to defend itself with no arms, he leaps at it and knocks off its head with one huge claw. Then it's quick work ripping apart the rest of the body. As he does so, Quil and Leah are asking him to fill them in, so he flashes back over the encounter.

Quil, of course, misses every important point and zeroes in on Jacob's supposed seduction of the vampire.

_Oh, man, it's like the patented Jake Black special! Twice in a row now. Strip naked to distract them with your hot body and, bam, off comes their head! What a move! _

Leah is just laughing at him now.

Quil continues, _Leah, you have to tell Bella! She's gonna be crazy jealous when she finds out her man stripped for a hot blonde bloodsucker. You should have tapped that before you killed her, man!_

Leah and Jacob cry out simultaneously, _No! Sick! No!_

Leah asks, _Aside from the obvious wrongness of that, how would that even work? They're hard as stone. Have either of you jerkoffs ever tried to have sex with a rock, even if it had a hole in it?_

Quil replies, _Who cares? The thing was still hot. He could have at least gotten to see it naked._

Leah pauses and notices Jacob contemplating Quil's reference to Bella. He wants to know but is too nervous to ask.

Quil gets right to it. _Oh, Jake, she totally wants you. All night, every night, she's begging, moaning, "Jacob, I want you, take me."_

Jake is stunned. He involuntarily flashes back to a vivid memory of Bella writhing beneath him, begging him to fuck her.

_Yeah, man, it sounds just like that. How could you not tell us! We thought you were pathetically pining away for her, but you've been having her this whole time? How'd you hide it, man?_

Jacob clamps down on the memory, hiding it away. _I haven't, I swear. That was just a dream. It never happened. I swear._

Leah pipes in. _Well, if that's a dream, then Bella's been having them too. I got stuck doing all the nighttime Swan house patrols because everyone else is too embarrassed, or too interested, _she thinks at Quil_, to do them. I have to listen to her version of those, like, every night. And trust me, Jake, she ain't dreaming about the bloodsucker._

Then Leah gets an involuntary memory of Edward continuing to climb in and out of Bella's window, and Jacob can't watch it. He says a quick goodbye and phases out, excusing himself to take care of the vampire's remains.

It takes all night, and he doesn't get to sleep until the next morning. When he does, he doesn't dream.


	16. Chapter 16

Rating: MA for lemon

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Thanks to cloudshadow22 for her contributions to this chapter.

X-x-x-x-X

Sunday

X-x-x-x-X

Bella wakes up feeling totally unrefreshed. She has dreamt of an empty room 128 again, tossing and turning in Jacob's bed, dozing periodically and dreaming a second layer of a dream. She recalls the scent of a baby, and soft, black hair and round, brown eyes. There was a chill radiating in the window, and no Jake to keep her warm. She wakes feeling that her arms are noticeably empty.

She is supposed to spend the day with Edward and Alice. Seeing Edward is increasingly awkward. He looks at her with sadness and hope in his mesmerizing eyes, and she forgets what she's doing. He declares his eternal love, and she makes promises she means to keep, or doesn't. He is frantic about Alice's flickering visions about her future. He worries over her, begs her to let him protect her life by ending it, and she doesn't let him. She makes excuses about waiting for the wedding, about wanting to be human during their honeymoon, about needing to have a cover story for Charlie. She thinks to herself that she cannot let her last words to Jacob be her last words to Jacob forever, and for once Edward can almost read her mind and knows what she's not saying. But they carefully avoid speaking of him. Edward lavishes attention on her, and reminds her with word and deed why she fell in love with him. But then he kisses her, or just holds her hand, and she instinctively shivers and misses soft heat and smooth, dark skin. When they part she is more confused than ever.

At least today she will spend the day with Edward and Alice together. Alice acts as a comforting buffer. She suspects Rosalie would join them, would physically stand between them, if Edward would allow it.

They arrive just after Bella finishes eating lunch. Charlie gives Alice a warm smile and Edward a curt, polite nod, and they climb in Edward's Volvo and turn toward Port Angeles. They are, absurdly, going cake tasting. Bella should have anticipated the awkwardness of doing this with people who don't eat. She should have told the Cullens that she would do this with Charlie. Or Angela. Or someone with a giant appetite and endless room for cake in their bottomless pit of a stomach. She envisions piling into Jake's Rabbit with him, Quil, and Embry. They would surely get kicked out of the bakery. It would be loads of fun. This is not so much fun. The baker is confused and offended that Alice and Edward won't try her wares, and Bella feels like a bit of a pig trying all the flavors by herself, and sticks to tiny little bites. By the end of the session, Alice has finalized the cake design, and Bella has no idea what kind of flavor she has ordered.

Alice fills the air with her happy chatter on the way back, and Bella is grateful. Edward is glaring out the window for most of the ride, and eventually Bella sees why. There is an ashy-brown flash of fur keeping pace with the car. Finally becoming sick of his attitude, Alice finally tells Edward to relax.

He clips out, "We don't need a chaperone. We don't need an escort. Especially one who is a 13 year old boy."

It must be Brady, then. Collin's fur is much closer in color to Jacob's. Bella is suddenly very grateful that it is Brady running with them rather than Collin. Edward probably wouldn't have liked her reaction had she thought she had seen Jacob through the window.

Alice chides him, "It's not like anyone gave him a choice, Edward. Like you said, he's a 13 year old boy. I'm sure if he had his way, he would be home playing video games instead of following us to Port Angeles and back, wishing he got to eat some cake too."

Edward keeps glaring. "He could learn to keep his thoughts to himself, as well."

Bella has to know, "Is there any news?"

Edward bites out, "Nothing of consequence, my love."

Meaning, of course, that something of great consequence has happened. Edward will tell her, or not, according to his own whims. She can probably just ask Leah later.

Which is exactly what she does that evening. She had sent Edward and Alice directly home, and told Charlie that they had to get home for a family dinner. He replied that it was too bad that Alice couldn't stick around longer, conspicuously and not very subtly neglecting to mention Edward altogether. Charlie himself left only minutes later, heading to Billy's house to watch a Mariner's doubleheader, which would undoubtedly last long into the evening. She knew that it meant he might not even bother coming home that night, depending on how many beers he had at Billy's. As he stepped out. he said, "Want me to say hi to Jake for you? Or better yet, you want to come say hi yourself?"

"No, no. I have too much stuff to do here. Have a good time." They both know she has absolutely nothing to do that night. How is Billy going to explain Jacob's absence? He's supposed to still be laid up in bed.

She waits until she is certain that the wolf on patrol is Leah. She doesn't know Brady very well, and couldn't bear to look any of the male wolves in the eye right now anyway. Especially considering, as Edward pointed out, that this one is actually only a 13 year old boy.

Tonight she is ready to bribe Leah for information. She steps onto the back porch with a steaming mug. "I tried a different concoction tonight, Leah, do you want to try some?"

This mug has real dark chocolate that she melted on the stove, steamed milk, cinnamon, and just a little bit of chili powder. It's topped off with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Leah emerges from the woods wearing a pale yellow sundress which is dusty from being wrapped around her ankle.

"You've lowered yourself to bribing me for information, huh, Swan?"

Bella blushes. Is she so transparent?

"Don't worry, it's working. That smells great. Have I got a story for you. I'd have told you anyway, but I'm not turning down anything that smells like that."

They step inside the kitchen, where Leah notices the smell of Italian food mixed in with the chocolate and adds, "You went all out, huh, Swan? How'd you know?"

"Edward. He wouldn't tell me, but he was acting really weird."

Bella pulls a pan of lasagna out of the oven and cuts a generous helping for Leah, who is sipping at her chocolate. "Weirder than normal, you mean. He was in your room for most of last night, by the way. There wasn't any desperate moaning of Jake's name to drive him away. Did you know he was there?"

Bella shakes her head. She really needs to figure out what to do about Edward and Jacob.

"You sure you don't want me to make sure he stays away?" Leah asks.

_Please do. _"Not until I know what I'm doing."

Leah rolls her eyes. "It's too late, Swan. Maybe if you could keep your trap shut while you sleep, that would still be an option."

Bella just shreds a napkin into little pieces.

"Explain something to me, Bella." Bella's head snaps up. She can't remember the last time Leah called her by her first name. "You seem to be choosing between two guys. What about all your other options? If I could get out of here..." she trails off, and actively decides not to wallow in self pity in front of Bella Swan.

Bella gives the only answer she has, inadequate though it may be. "Once I met Edward, he seemed... inevitable. He seemed like the only choice. I couldn't imagine life without him."

Leah, of all people, understands this. "But he's not the only choice for you. For that matter, neither is Jake." Leah has no need to drag out this part of the conversation. She has made her point, so she moves along.

"Today Brady said he was trying to shoot laser beams out of his eyes. Your fiancé, he isn't exactly subtle. What the hell were you thinking taking a couple vampires cake tasting, anyway? What pathetic excuses did they come up with for not trying any of the cake?" Leah is too perceptive for her own good. Bella doesn't reply, so Leah points at the chocolate and continues, "This is good. You should think about adding a little vanilla bean too. It would balance out the chili."

Bella looks at her, startled. Leah is right. Vanilla bean would be a great addition. "You figured all the wolves couldn't cook, huh? Well, I do possess other skills beyond super strength, fast healing, speed, and the ability to explode into a giant furball at a moment's notice."

Bella finally relaxes enough to laugh. Apparently Leah has decided on gentle teasing for tonight, and isn't planning on going for the jugular. "We can make more tonight, if you like, but I don't have any real vanilla bean on hand."

"No shit, the good stuff is expensive. Your lasagna, on the other hand, shouldn't be altered. I'm glad you put ground beef in here. I can't stand Italian sausage. Is the sauce homemade?"

Bella nods. "I'll use jarred if I have no choice; the organic store brand actually isn't bad in a pinch." She is startled to find that she is surprisingly comfortable with Leah Clearwater. Leah knows all her secrets, her most embarrassing truths, gives her grief about them, and moves on. And Leah is her best link to Jacob right now. "So what happened?"

Leah wipes sauce off her lip with a napkin. Thankfully she preserved her manners when she phased, unlike all her brothers. "It was amazing. Jake is becoming this lone wolf killing machine. It's totally stupid to be taking on vamps by himself, but he's doing it anyway. Last night he made it two for two. Your boy is seriously lacking in common sense, and somehow that paid off last night." There is grudging admiration in her tone.

Bella would usually get worried at this point, but the gleam in Leah's eye and the enthusiasm in her voice are too upbeat.

"So it happened right after I left your house last night. I went out to phase, and there's Jake, phased in, sitting calmly on this park bench, with this blonde bloodsucker approaching him at, like, warp speed. And he's just sitting there, not even looking at her. So she starts running her fingers up and down his arm and his neck, and she's just flirting with him shamelessly. The control it took, Bella, for him to just sit there and take it, let it touch him... Not another one of us could have done it."

Bella is stunned by the overload of information. But she's stuck on the vampire flirting with Jake. With her Jake. It's the least important thing she was told, but she can't stop thinking about it. "Why? Why didn't he phase? Wasn't he in danger?"

"Oh, yeah, plenty. She came right out and said that the vamp that Jake is tracking sent her to try to kill him. But that's why he kept it talking. He was trying to get information."

"Did he get anything useful?"

"Yeah. He found out the vampire Is female, obviously knows he's on her trail, has some way of evading him, and thinks she's not a match against Jake in a one-on-one fight."

Leah now wants to get Bella jealous. She's had enough of Bella pretending she doesn't want Jake. And she doesn't have to exaggerate at all. "And the way he got her in the end was priceless. She totally wanted him. Like, blatantly came onto him. So he let her think he was gonna take her for into the woods for a nice screw. He holds out his hand, pulls her into the woods, and she shoves him up against a tree and rips off his shirt." Leah pauses to study Bella, who has turned bright red, her pulse pounding. Leah smirks as she goes on. "Jake let it get pretty far, too. This gorgeous, statuesque blonde gets him totally naked, has her hands all over him. He leans in like he's going to kiss her neck," she pauses for dramatic effect.

Bella is horrified and livid and jealous all at once. _How dare some other woman put her hands on my Jacob? Bad enough that Leah gets to see him naked all the time. Now some awful bitchy vampire gets to see him naked before I do?_ She doesn't realize it, but all these thoughts are written across her face, plain as day.

Leah continues, "But instead of kissing her, he phases and rips out her throat."

Bella breathes out sharply. "Oh, thank god." They both realize she is thankful both for Jacob's safety, and for his preserved virtue as well. Suddenly, she feels like Edward Cullen, obsessing over her partner's purity. What right has she? She has only ever broken his heart and sent him away.

She is confused about one thing. "I thought you guys can't stand to be around one another? The scent, that is, and the overwhelming urge to kill each other."

"Well, she obviously didn't know what he was, just that he was a hot guy she was supposed to kill. The smell was bad to her, that much was clear, but she said she'd just hold her breath. And she implied that his unappealing blood would make it easier for her to avoid draining him long enough to have sex."

Bella wants to throw up. The thought of her innocent, sweet, sexy Jake in the hands of a monster and a sexual predator is devastating to her. And then it hits her. This is what he feels like each and every time she leaves him to return to Edward.

Leah watches her carefully. "Finally putting two and two together, huh, Swan?"

_Bells and Jake equals perfect. _She doesn't know what to say to Leah, so she just expresses her relief. "It's okay. So he's okay. You didn't tell him about my dreams, did you?"

Leah barks out a laugh. "Quil beat me to it," she grins and let's Bella squirm about that for a minute. Leah had no idea a person could turn so red.

Bella squeaks out a quiet, "Oh, no."

Leah casually examines her fingernails. "Yeah, Jacob had a really interesting reaction." She watches Bella hide behind her hands and grins. "He inadvertently gave us a little show when he remembered a rather explicit memory of a dream he had."

The next five seconds feel like five hours to Bella.

"It was a very detailed dream about you. So detailed, in fact, that Quil was convinced it was a real memory."

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob gets lucky with dry skies. Upon waking, he is disappointed that he didn't dream of Bella the night before, but is encouraged to have a new lead. He hasn't had enough sleep, not by a long shot, but he cannot afford to waste the day. He returns to the park and picks up the trail of the blonde vampire. If he gets lucky, he can trace it back to where it met the rogue vampire.

It takes him most of the afternoon to make his way out of the city. By nightfall he has made his way to a marina in North Vancouver. He finds a new trail right by the water's edge. His rogue must have crossed the inlet between Vancouver and North Vancouver. No wonder he hasn't been able to pick up the trail. It's been in the water. But it didn't stay there.

By the time the moon is high in the sky, he is deep in the forest. At least he is able to explore as a wolf now. It's certainly faster. Jared is running along the edge of the forest in LaPush, and is lost in thoughts of Kim. Leah is on patrol outside Bella's house and, after when she notices Jacob appear in the pack mind, gives a hilarious account of Jake's previous evening to Jared. He can only imagine how Quil is retelling the story. By the time he gets back, it will have degenerated into a full out orgy and murder. Then he sees Cullen climbing in Bella's window through Leah's eyes and quits paying attention. Leah is trying to tell him something, but he can't look any more. He blocks them out. He is exhausted, and the despair at seeing the monster gaining access to Bella's sleeping form is too much. He only slept for a couple hours in the morning, and he's ready to drop. He quenches his thirst in a fast-running stream, and curls up under on a bed of moss under a cherry tree.

X-x-x-x-X

_She approaches the little red house. The door is unmarked tonight. She tries the knob and it turns easily, but when she explores the house she finds it empty. But looking out the window of Jacob's room, she sees not their backyard and the forest of LaPush, but a stream skipping by. She goes outside and follows it as it winds through an unfamiliar forest._

_And there, beneath a cherry tree along the banks of the water, lies her wolf. He is deeply asleep. She doesn't want to wake him. She has a vague memory of Leah Clearwater telling her of Jacob's exploits. She struggles to remember. Leah explained to her why Jacob never came to her last night. He was protecting her. That much she knows. She feels a wave of possessiveness wash over her, but doesn't know why._

_It doesn't matter. They are together now. That's all that matters. She lowers herself to the forest floor, leans into his large, warm body, and quickly falls asleep._

_Jacob stirs some hours later. The first thing he notices is something small and soft pressed up against him. The second thing he notices is the smell of home. Strawberries, vanilla, and his Bells. The third, the slow, steady drum of her heartbeat. He opens his eyes to see her wrapped into his fur. Mmmm. She's really here. _

_He has a very puppy-like urge to lick her face. But she's so peaceful. Even if she thought it was funny, (which she probably wouldn't, his Bells isn't exactly a morning person) he can't stand to wake her. She feels so right in his arms._

_But having her here makes him think about her, and thinking about her makes him think about her naked, and thinking about her naked makes him really, really want to wake her up. The wolf in him, in particular, really, really wants to wake her up._

_The wolf hasn't been this close to Bella in a long time. Jacob the man has loved her for nearly his whole life, and has learned to be patient. The wolf has learned to love her as well, and has no idea how to wait. Jacob the man has wanted her since he knew how to want such things, and has learned how to push aside those feelings for her comfort. The wolf has never experienced lust before Bella, and the sensation is overwhelming and new. Jacob the man has had to share her with another. The wolf wants her as his, and his alone. Jacob the man knows that he fits perfectly inside Bella the woman. The wolf wants that. Right now. And unlike Jacob the man, who has supreme control and can suppress his desires in favor of her own, the wolf has no idea how to control his desires. _

_He starts by sliding gently out from underneath her. She doesn't stir. The wolf moves to stand over her protectively, paws on either side of her. He lowers his muzzle to her hair, and inhales deeply. The scent of her arouses him. He moves slowly down her body, sniffing at her face, her neck, her arms, her breasts. She starts to stir when he reaches her middle, and his snout starts to push her shirt upward, exposing her flat, smooth belly. The man wants. The wolf wants._

_Bella wakes to find her huge, russet wolf bent over her, his snout pressing against her pelvic bone, his hot breath washing over her lower body. His eyes are nearly glowing, his body tense. She recognizes the look in his eye for what it is, and it instantly arouses her. _

_The heady rush of the new musk in her scent nearly undoes the wolf. Jacob the man fights to take over, and suddenly the body hovering over her is that of her beloved, human Jake. He's still gazing at her with the exact same, intense expression in his eyes. He's trembling. She knows it isn't because he is cold. _

_Without preamble, he rips open her shirt. She hears a barely audible, "Mine," and he dives down to attack her breasts. "Yours," she replies on a sigh. He has one nipple pinched tightly between two fingers, is rolling it back and forth, and has sucked the other one deep into his mouth. She wonders if it will leave a bruise. She loves it, and buries her fingers in his hair. She knows she loves it when she pulls and tugs, so she does so, and he growls. Seconds later, he switches from using his lips to using his teeth. He is almost chewing on her nipple, and is flicking his tongue rapidly over the hard peak. It has only been a minute, and she is nearly ready to come._

_He pulls up, panting heavily, and shoves her pants down in one movement, tossing them aside. And then he is between her legs. For just one moment, he is eyeing her hungrily. _

"_Sweet, pretty pussy." He inhales, and closes his eyes. _

"_My pussy," he growls, and as she feels his hot tongue thrust deep inside her, she replies in a moan, "Yours."_

_Again, for less than a minute, he works her with his tongue, and she nearly comes apart before he crawls up her body. He still hasn't kissed her, and he buries his face in her neck. "Mine," he growls again. _

"_Yours," she whispers back, feeling his teeth lightly working her clavicle, not hard enough to leave a mark. The sensation is wildly erotic, and she bucks up beneath him. He is hot and hard, and is rubbing against her leg._

_His voice his a harsh vibration against her skin. "Bella, I can't wait tonight. The wolf, he's so close to the surface. He wants to take you. He needs to have you. I don't know if I can control him."_

"_So don't," she replies as she strokes her fingers up and down his back._

_He swallows hard, and positions himself against her entrance. She wants him. Badly. She spreads her thighs and wraps her arms around his neck. Jacob is shaking against her. The wolf has almost taken over. Jacob the man can barely hold on. His voice is shaking. "I don't think you know what you're agreeing to, Bella. I'm not just gonna fuck you. I'm not just gonna fuck you hard. I'm gonna take you in every position I can think of. I'm gonna do whatever I want with you. Do whatever I want to your body. Again and again. And then I'm going to mark you. I'm going to make you mine." It takes every ounce of willpower he has not to slam into her right now._

_Now she's nervous. And very, very aroused. "Mark me?" Her voice is small._

_He is sweating with the effort to keep the wolf inside, keep from pounding her into the ground beneath him._

"_With my teeth, Bella. Leave a mark, a permanent one. I'm going to claim you as mine."_

_Oh. She doesn't know what to say. Just that she wants this. More than she has ever wanted anything. So she reaches down to grasp his buttocks, tugs toward her, looks him straight in the eye, and says, "I'm already yours."_

"_Then hold on." He grits out the words and he slams into her. The first thrust is hard, fast, and all the way in. And unlike every other time, he doesn't pause to let her adjust. He fucks her, and she screams. He is huge, and hot, and hard, and she burns. The sweetest burn. He holds her hips still in his large, strong hands, and she braces her feet against the forest floor for leverage, tilting her pelvis up to meet him. It's the most intense pleasure she has ever felt. His deep thrusting bumps his pubic bone against her clitoris each time their bodies meet, and his cock fills her completely. It takes no time at all for her to have her first orgasm. "Mine!" He grunts as he feels her walls contract around him._

_She's flying apart around him, chanting his name, when he pulls out and flips her over onto her hands and knees. In no time at all, not long enough for her to stop coming, he's back inside her, and his wolf is howling with satisfaction. There is no better moment to enter her body, than when she is already coming. Her muscles are milking and squeezing him in the tightest, wettest vice he could ever hope to enter. They have only been at this a few minutes, and she can't come down from her high. He won't slow down enough to let her. He has his thrusts tipped downward, and he pulls out nearly all the way each time, so that his head pushes against her to massage her most sensitive area of her front walls each time. The movement makes her crazy. She is crying and moaning and arching her back in pleasure, her head thrown back, baring her long neck. He stares down at his long, thick cock pistoning in her cunt, dripping in her fluids, his dark hands tightly gripping the luminous skin of buttocks just below her hips and lovely, narrow waist, and he burns the image in his mind. He thinks about tasting her, tasting them together, and it makes him come, shooting long and hard into her. "Mine!" he roars again. _

_Once he is done, he pushes her onto her back. He is still hard, and not done by a long shot. His wolf needs to taste. So he uses his hands to push open her legs, and lowers his head. The scent of her mixed with the scent of him is exactly what his wolf needs. He laps greedily at her, first dipping his long tongue into her to soothe her aching walls, and then to circle her clitoris until she's writhing and bucking beneath him. He sucks her nub between his soft lips, and relishes the taste of another rush of her arousal as she comes against his tongue. _

_He sits back on his heels and pulls her up onto his lap. He licks her lips, sharing the taste of them on her tongue. He grasps the base of his length with one hand, and with the other hand guides her to sink down on him. As she whimpers with the fullness of him, he whispers, "Mine," against her mouth. She nods and bites her lip, and as soon as she lets go of it, he draws the plump lip into his own mouth and bites down gently. Then he has to let go of her mouth, since his wolf cannot stand any gentle rocking tonight. The wolf needs more. So he lifts her up by her buttocks, and slams her hard back down. She screams again. He repeats the motion again and again, and he lifts his hips to meet her. She's weak in his embrace, can barely hold the position, but he doesn't mind. He has strength enough for both of them. He is in control tonight, and she is pliable in his arms. Just the way his wolf wants it._

_And she loves it. She loves the way he is taking control, putting her body where he wants it and doing with it what he will. She had gotten used to him taking his time, preparing her gently and sensually with lips, tongue, and hand, before finally, finally slipping slowly inside her. Even the torture he inflicted on her a few nights ago, as she begged him to take her, and he kept turning her aside with his sweet, husky voice saying, "Not yet, baby." That torture was designed purely for her pleasure. And it was wonderful. Jacob dominated her, and she loved it._

_But this, this is another thing entirely. This is the first time she has been with Jacob's wolf, and not Jacob alone. This is primal and feral. This is dominance of another form. An animal form. It is pure passion and need unleashed entirely on her. It is every bit as good as being dominated by Jacob the man. _

_So she gives in gladly. Lets him fuck her however he wants. In whatever position he wants. As quickly or as slowly as he wants. As many times as he wants. And she will come, each and every time. She doesn't know she's spoken aloud until he grunts, "Because... unhhh... you're... mmmph... Mine!... unhhh." The next time he brings her down on him, he rotates her hips against him to stimulate her clitoris against the base of his cock, and she comes again. _

_But Jacob does not. When he pulls out of her, after her spasms have finally settled, he is still throbbing and aching. He stands and spreads his feet out for stability. He pulls her to her knees in front of him. Ohhhh. She loved this when he did it a few nights ago. So did he. This time he won't let her stop until he's coming down her throat. He fists her hair with both hands and draws her toward him. "You know what to do," he whispers, "because you're mine." She grasps him firmly with her right hand, and strokes his balls with her left. The grip she has on his base is harder than she has ever used before, and he purrs his happiness deep in his chest. He drags her mouth onto him with his hands in her hair, and she moans around him. He first allows her shallow, bobbing movements, centered over his sensitive head. She swirls her tongue around the crown, laving the dip in the center where he is most sensitive. She strokes her hand in rhythm. She can taste his distinctive salty flavor and her own musky, sweeter one. She wants more. So does he. So far he hasn't thrust into her mouth at all, but she doesn't think he can hold back much longer. His hands are still tight in her hair, but he is holding otherwise still. Jacob the man has control over Jacob the wolf by the thinnest of threads. So she relaxes her jaw, suppresses her gag reflex, and bobs a little further. He lets out a guttural moan, and after another minute of that, he grits out between clenched teeth, "Are you... unhhh... ready... aaahh... to take... unhhh... more?" She whimpers her assent around his cock, and he begins to thrust, shallowly, into her throat. He's humming continuously now, punctuated by coarse murmurs of, "Fuck... yeah... mine... yeah... take it... mmmm... all the way... mmmm... fuck..." He picks up speed, and goes a little deeper every time, and just when she thinks she can't take any more, he stiffens, throws his head back, holds her still, and comes hard into her mouth and throat, with another roar of "Mine!"_

_After long minutes, he returns to himself, and looks down at her, directly in her eyes. His eyes are glowing. He is still hard. She licks her lips, and tastes him on them. The wolf has control of his words. With a firm voice, he states, "You can take more. You can take it again." His wolf relishes how she looks up at him, naked, on her knees in front of him, with wide, trusting eyes, and she slowly nods. She isn't lying to please him. It's the truth. He pushes her onto her back kneels between her legs, and lifts her legs up so her ankles are over his shoulders. He slides down to line up the head of his cock with her entrance. "You want it. You want me to fuck you. Again." She nods again. This is also the truth. "You're mine." She shudders with a wave of desire. She's wet and ready._

_So he slams into her, firmly and in one stroke. He bends her nearly in half, and the position allows him to get incredibly deep. Each time he pulls out he growls, "You're mine." And each time he slams in, she cries, "Yes!" or "Jake!" or "Yours!" The wolf is ecstatic. The wolf loves being inside her. The wolf loves how tight she is, how hot she is, how wet she is. The wolf loves the sounds of her cries, the blissful expression on her face, the jiggling of her breasts beneath him each time he pounds in. The wolf loves the pink flush of her skin, and sweat beading between her breasts, the scent of her desire. The wolf loves fucking her. So does the man._

_The wolf and the man love making her come. So starting with the next thust, he licks his thumb and forefinger and rubs in gentle circles around her clitoris, never breaking his rhythm, and she comes again, clutching at his arms with her nails and drawing blood, shaking and crying, and splintering apart with happiness. He reduces his thrusts to make them shallower and more tolerable for her oversensitive body, and when she has come back to earth, he says in his deep, husky voice, "One more time, and you really will be mine."_

_She lowers her legs to wrap around his waist, and pulls him down for a deep, sensual kiss. As they break away, she whispers, "Yes. Always yours."_

_So he backs off her and pulls her to her feet. He takes her hand and turns her to face the cherry tree they were sleeping under. He leads her to step up onto a step formed by a root coming out of the ground, and stands behind her. They are a bit closer in height with her on the natural step, and he stands behind her, pushing her hair over her shoulder, and exposing her neck. He runs his nose back and forth from her shoulder to her neck, licking along the way. The wolf is gathering the taste of her and deciding where to leave his mark. The action sends tingles of pleasure shooting from his tongue to her core. _

"_You're so beautiful," he whispers. She wasn't expecting tender words right now. He licks at the sensitive spot behind her ear. He continues, "You're so strong." She is starting to tear up from the weight of his love. "You're so lovely and giving." He has shifted his hands to her front and is tracing light, delicate circles around her nipples, making them ache. "You've always been the one." A tear slips down her cheek. His left hand remains at her nipple, and her left slides down to circle her clitoris gently. "You'll always be the one." He shifts his left hand to her shoulder, and bends her at the waist. She grips the tree in front of her. His voice is a bare whisper. "I promise. I'm yours forever." He slips into her, and she has never felt so fulfilled in all her life._

_They both moan with the pleasure of it. After the first gentle thrust, he grows more insistent. He pulls out nearly all the way, so that each time he slams back in, he causes the most friction possible. She's whimpering continuously, and tears of joy are slipping down her cheeks. The angle is just right, and every time he slides in and out, he hits that... something... that she still can't identify, that makes her whole body throb. That, plus the finger of his right hand pressed to her clitoris, while his huge cock slams into her cervix, ignites in her three separate and distinct forms of pleasure that converge and overwhelm her. She can barely stay upright. Can barely remember her own name. His name, a continuous mantra falling from her lips. All she knows is Jacob. All she feels is Jacob. All she wants, ever will want, is Jacob. _

_And Jacob himself. Jacob the man is home, buried in his beloved's body. Jacob the wolf has found his mate. Here, in this place, everything is right in Jacob's world. Through the pleasure, the ache, the throb, the warmth, the ecstasy, he finds peace. He finds contentment. Her finds her. So when he can tell that she's close, that she's right on the edge again, he curls over her body, and gently, firmly sinks his teeth into the tender skin of her left shoulder. _

_Bella cries out her pleasure. There is no pain, but pure ecstasy, riding in waves that consume her whole body, her whole being. It is endless. It is a sensation unlike any other. Being claimed by him, she is finally free. And as she is overwhelmed, is consumed and reborn, Jacob comes and comes within her. He releases her shoulder and licks at the mark with his tongue, and comes and comes. The man weeps with joy. The wolf howls with victory. _

_They fall bonelessly to the forest floor, and they sleep wrapped in each other._


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Thanks to cloudshadow22 for her contributions to this chapter.

X-x-x-x-X

Monday

X-x-x-x-X

Bella is surprised to wake up in bed rather on the forest floor. There is a delicious ache throughout her body. It is strongest in one spot. The back of her left shoulder. She wishes Jacob was really here to massage the spot with his tongue. She traces it with her finger. The skin tingles. It is extremely sensitive, but the skin is smooth and unblemished. She is somehow surprised and disappointed.

She showers, and every time she runs her washcloth over the spot, it sends a jolt between her legs. It is terribly distracting. She can't focus on anything else. She eventually gives in and lowers the shower-head, switches it to the pulse setting, and remembers Jacob slamming into her until she comes. She is almost late for work.

All day long she is flustered and distracted. She makes simple and uncharacteristic mistakes, mislabeling an entire crate of power bars as selling for $15 each, and stocking the women's new hiking boots in the youth section. Mike even asks her what's going on. _I think my engagement is over because I've fallen in love with a figment of my imagination._

"Sorry, Mike, I slept really poorly last night." _I had the best night of my life, except it didn't actually happen._

"Did you fight with Cullen or something?"

"No, why?" _But if he was in my room last night, he is probably pretty pissed today. I should have let Leah keep him out like she offered._

"Because he's been staring through the front display window for, like, half an hour. He's across the street, but it's creepy. Why doesn't he just come in? He may as well have his face pressed up against the glass. He knows I've seen him, and he didn't think I wasn't going to say anything to you, did he?"

_Oh god. Why is he here?_ She isn't ready to face him yet. She has no idea what she's going to say. Just as she is about to ask to go on her break so she can go face him, she spies Alice through the glass, tugging Edward away. He looks positively haunted.

She fumbles through the rest of her shift, tries not to make any more stupid mistakes and fails. Edward must be in a bad way if he's showing this kind of desperation in front of the likes of Mike Newton. He has to have heard every thought running through Mike's head, and they're probably not very flattering. Then again, Edward never really saw Mike Newton as a threat to him. There is only one man standing between them, but he is actually miles away.

When she leaves work, she is startled to find Rosalie waiting by her car, peering in the window. "This is a serious junker, Bella, although I suppose it has a sort of charm. I remember that it was a pretty nice car, back in its day. You should upgrade to something safer, though. Let Edward get it for you. Get something good out of the deal. A girl like you needs airbags. And anti-lock breaks. And rollover protection." She pauses. "Let Edward buy you a tank."

Then a breeze blows by, drawing Bella's scent over Rosalie. Rosalie looks at her with wide eyes. "Oh my god, no wonder he's been a drama queen all morning! You finally did it! I can't say I disagree with your decision, but I thought you'd, you know, dump him first. But cheers to you. Wait, did you dump him today?"

Bella gawks at Rosalie. "No. What are you talking about? I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here?"

"Alice sent me. She's trying to keep him under control, and sent me to make sure that you're okay. Oh, Bella. The scent is faint, but it's so distinct. Did you really think we wouldn't figure it out?"

She is so perplexed. "Figure what out?"

Now Rosalie just looks frustrated. "There's no point in being coy with me, Bella. I'm on your side, remember?"

She protests, "I'm not hiding anything. I saw Edward here in the morning, glaring in through the window from across the street. He kind of scared Mike. But he didn't come in. Alice came and pulled him away before I got a chance to go talk to him."

"Wait, so you didn't talk to him?"

"No."

"Did he get close to you?"

"No, not unless he was in my room before I woke up."

"Well, he came home smelling like you, so he probably was. But it was early. Probably not even even 1 am yet."

She feels crushing weight on her chest. How much did he hear? Hopefully he left as soon as it started. By Rosalie's accounting, he probably missed the worst (_best_) parts.

"Well, then, I'm not sure why he's freaking out so much. But I should tell you that you smell like wet dog. Not strongly, not like you just rolled around with one. I thought you, um, just took a thorough shower after, but obviously that's not it." She pauses. "Is it?"

"No! It's not even possible! Jake's in Canada."

Rosalie smirks. "But the rest of them are still here, right?"

"Rose! Emmett's rubbing off on you too much! No! I had dinner with Leah last night, though."

Rosalie looks skeptical. "It's not quite the same as when you just spend time with them. You smell just awful after that. Although it was last night. But this is different. This is like... This is like you're not quite you."

She slowly approaches Bella, walks around her, examines her carefully. If it was any vampire other than a Cullen, Bella would be terrified. If it were Edward, right now, Bella would be terrified. She is just a little terrified.

Rosalie picks up her hand, presses her nose to the scar James left behind. "This is still the same. Still cold and wrong."

Bella cracks out a hoarse reply, "I think it'll always be that way."

"Hopefully it's the only spot that goes cold and wrong." Rosalie drops her hand and moves to stand behind her. "Do you mind?"

Bella doesn't know what she's being asked, but complies anyway. "Okay," she says in a small voice.

Rosalie presses her cold nose to Bella's neck. Bella shivers. Rosalie tugs down the edge of her collar. "Oh my god," she whispers. She's lightly running her finger over Bella's sensitive left shoulder. It sends delicious pulses down Bella's spine. "When did this happen, Bella? How did you keep it from us for so long? I had no idea you were such a good actress."

Bella pulls away to face her. "Honest, Rose. I'm not hiding anything. Tell me what you see. What is it?"

Rosalie's eyes are gleaming. "You have a mark, Bella. But the skin is smooth. It's almost invisible. A human probably couldn't even see it. But it's there."

"A mark?" Bella is frightened, elated at the possible answer.

"A mark, Bella. Teeth. A human bite mark." Bella sways on her feet. "That's where the scent is coming from. It's faint, but it smells just like your dog." Bella's knees buckle from beneath her, but Rosalie keeps her from falling.

Bella's voice cracks. "It was just a dream, Rose. I had a dream."

Rosalie is chuckling now as she supports Bella in her lap. "Some dream."

When Mike Newton comes out of the store looking frantic, Rosalie waves him off. "She just didn't eat enough at lunch. Did you, Bella?"

Bella nods, dazed.

Rosalie continues, "I'm going to make sure she gets home okay. Thanks for checking on us."

Mike is in awe. It's the most that Rosalie Cullen has ever spoken to him. Usually he feels invisible, or like a bug on the bottom of her shoe. "Sure, yeah. Bella, why don't you take tomorrow off?"

"No, no. I'm fine. I just need to eat something. See you tomorrow, Mike."

Rosalie helps her into the passenger seat, then climbs into the driver's seat and shifts into gear. "Where to?"

"Just home."

"Not LaPush?"

"He's not there."

Rosalie nods and stays quiet until they get to the house. She follows Bella inside. Bella takes a long drink of water from the tap, and turns back to Rosalie.

"The mark is new, Rose. It just happened last night. While I was sleeping."

Rosalie arches one eyebrow at her. "What is it, exactly?"

Bella recalls Jacob growling, "Mine", over and over as he slammed into her body. She shakes her head. "I don't really know. I think, um, I think it's a way for a wolf to mark its mate. But I haven't seen Jake since he left town."

"Well, if he had come back while Edward was still here, and crawled into your window to do that while you were sleeping, one or both of them would be dead right now."

Bella has a sudden moment of panic. She has no way of knowing if Jake is okay. But Rosalie continues. "But like I said, Edward was home early. And he was being, is being, a melodramatic drama queen, but it would be much, much worse if he had gotten into a fight with your dog."

"Jacob, Rosalie."

She rolls her eyes. "Fine, Jacob. Whatever. But the whole pack would have descended on us already. It would be all out war. Instead, it's just Edward, being broodier and moodier than normal."

"Do you think he knows about the mark?"

Rosalie shakes her head. "Not if it happened after he came home. And I had to get pretty close to you to find it. It's subtle. And it's under your shirt, so he can't see it. None of us have X-ray vision, after all."

"So it's probably something else."

"Well, it's probably related. The timing is just too much of a coincidence."

Bella understands. "Alice's visions."

Rosalie nods. "Mmhm. You already know they've been flickering in and out for days."

"Ever since my dreams began."

Rosalie reaches out to pat her hand. It's the gentlest she has ever been with Bella. "It'll be fine, Bella. You'll be fine. Now I'm sure of it." She leaves with a small smile on her face.

Bella needs to talk to someone. She needs help figuring out what's going on. She wants to talk to Jacob, but he's not even in the country. Whom can she ask? Sam? Billy? She can just imagine the horror of such a conversation. She wants to talk to Leah, but Leah is probably sleeping right now. She can wait a few hours until Leah shows up.

So she waits at her house, her stomach in knots, pacing back and forth, chewing her nails down to nubs. She cooks chicken marsala for dinner, distracted the whole time, and completely forgets to stir the pasta, which comes out in sticky clumps when she drains it. Charlie eats it politely and doesn't say anything about the fact that it's not up to her usual standard. He does, however, ask her if she has any idea what's going on with Jacob.

She freezes. "Huh?"

"You know I was there all night long. I'm not sure he was home at all, Bells. Granted, I fell asleep on the couch before the end of the second game. Good thing, too. Apparently after our pitching game fell apart midway through the fourth inning, we never recovered. It's just as well that I slept through the humiliation."

"Oh, sorry, dad." She does a poor job feigning interest in baseball on a good day.

"But what's up with Jacob?"

She tells the truth. "I have no idea. I haven't talked to him on the phone. I haven't been there in forever, you know that."

He frowns at her. They both know he thinks less of her for abandoning the boy who showed her how to be happy again after Edward left her. "It doesn't add up, Bells. At first I thought he was just asleep in his room. But unless he's completely unconscious, there's no way that kid would ever miss a meal. So when he didn't come out for food, I asked Billy if we should bring him a plate, he just said, 'No point.' Then he distracted me, purposefully, with beer. Every time I asked about Jacob, Billy distracted me. He'd ask me to reach for something on a high shelf or something. Stuff that he didn't even need. Eventually, when I flat out asked him what was going on, he just said, 'Boy can take care of himself, Charlie. We'll see him when he's ready to be seen.'"

"Billy's probably right."

"He's an injured teenaged boy! He isn't supposed to have to fend for himself! Was he just avoiding me, Bella? Was he avoiding me so he could avoid hearing anything about you?"

She looks at the table. It's as good an explanation as any.

Charlie sighs and clears the table. Bella thinks she hears something like, "Girls are cruel," as he walks away.

A couple hours later, she opens the door to the back porch with another mug of chocolate in her hands. She doesn't even have to ask for Leah this time. Leah just comes sauntering out of the woods.

"You keep this up, Swan, and you could have the whole pack waiting in your backyard every night. It'll be great. Charlie will love having giant wolves and naked boys tromping through his house."

Bella hands over the chocolate. "Sorry, I didn't have a chance to get any vanilla."

"Don't sweat it. It's still really good." She sits at the table and relaxes into the chair. Bella places a plate of pasta and chicken in front of her. Leah takes a bite, and glances up at Bella. "It could use a little something. Do you mind?"

Bella shakes her head, so Leah roots through her kitchen, gathering garlic powder, salt, and a lemon. Bella slaps herself mentally. She forgot three basic ingredients. Leah actually has to cut the pasta apart, the strands are so stuck together.

Leah glances up at her as she seasons her plate. "Did Dream Jacob screw your brains out last night, Swan? This isn't quite up to your usual standard. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. It's fixable." She squeezes more lemon juice onto her plate.

"Actually, Leah..." Bella trails off. Now that Leah is here, she has no idea how to begin.

Leah laughs out loud, "Oh my god, he totally did, didn't he. I mean, why am I asking? I heard your end of it. I'm almost jealous. It's a damn good thing Charlie wasn't home, huh, Swan?" She pauses to chew and swallow, and points her fork at Bella. "And Sparkles didn't stay for long. At the first, 'Yours, Jacob, I'm yours'," Leah pitches her voice absurdly high, "he went flying out the window. It was hilarious. I'm almost glad you haven't let me rip him up yet. I like watching him get humiliated almost as much as I'd enjoy tearing his throat out."

"Did you talk to him last night, Leah?"

"Yeah, but not for long." She sobers. "He blocked us out once he saw your leech crawling in your window. He's pretty good at it from that distance. "

"Is he okay?"

"Uh huh, at least as of last night. Why?"

Bella takes a deep breath, and tears up another napkin to tiny shreds. "Something happened last night."

"No kidding. Like I said, I heard. Do you have, like, some spare rags I can stuff in my ears? They don't make earplugs big enough for giant wolves. Or maybe you can find me a great big spoon I can use to gouge out my mind's eye." She pauses and looks toward the kitchen door, and for a second Bella is afraid Edward will walk in. But instead it's Charlie.

He is as surprised that Leah Clearwater is sitting in his kitchen, dressed in a dirty sundress, eating a giant plate of poorly-made leftovers, as he would be if he found Old Quil sitting there with Bella.

"Evening, Chief Swan. How are you?" Leah says politely.

"Good, good. And it's Charlie at home. Are you girls... hanging out tonight?" he asks with a puzzled tone. Bella has never been friends with Leah Clearwater. Not when they were little girls playing on the rez, not when Bella spent her summers visiting from Phoenix, and definitely not after she broke Jacob Black's heart.

"Not exactly. Sue sent me over to give Bella the name of my gynecologist. You know, in preparation for the..." she waves her fork in the air.

"Oh, sure, yeah." Charlie turns bright red. He suspects, and they know, that this is a blatant lie. But it stops him from asking any further questions. "Well, you girls have a good night. I'm gonna head on up." He flees.

Leah snickers and turns back to Bella, who is hiding her face in her hands again. "My god. That was so easy. I wish my mom were so gullible. Well, I doubt he's actually that gullible. Willfully ignorant, let's say. You can get away with anything, Swan." She pauses and eats her last bite. "Actually, that explains a lot. You've already as well as gotten away with murder. Anyway, you were saying?" She sits back and folds her hands in her lap.

Bella is still bright red. She's about to get redder. She coughs. "Something happened in my sleep last night, Leah. It's easier if I just show you." She turns around and pulls her hair aside, and tugs her collar down. She runs her finger over the spot. "Can you see it?"

Leah bends close enough that Bella can feel her breath on the mark. It tingles with the light contact. Her voice is low. "My god, Swan. Is that what I think it is?"

Bella turns around. "You tell me."

"It's clearly Jacob's. What happened?"

Bella coughs again and takes a deep breath. "I was asleep, having one of those vivid, crazy dreams. Just like you heard." Leah nods, her eyes wide. "It was different than the others. Jake said... Jake said his wolf wanted to claim me. Wanted to mark me as his." Leah's mouth has fallen open a little. "So in the dream he did. And when I woke up, well..." She gestures to her shoulder.

"Do you know what that means, Bella?"

"I was hoping you could tell me."

Leah rubs the back of her neck with her hand. It reminds Bella is Jacob's own nervous habit. "Well, I have no idea what it means that it happened while you were asleep and he was out of the country. I've never heard of anything like that before. But normally, it's a sign that a wolf has chosen its mate. It's a sign to other wolves that you're taken. Sam did that to Emily after they got engaged. Jared hasn't marked Kim yet, although it's just a matter of time."

"Because they're imprinted," she whispers, "But Jake never imprinted on me."

"Right. About that. I don't think it was ever common, but you remember the story of the Third Wife?"

"Sure, I remember."

"Well, the stories don't tell us anything about the first and second wives, but it's not clear whether they died before he married the third one." Leah considers making a joke about Bella being the founding member of Jacob's harem, sees the look of devastation on Bella's face, and kindly keeps her mouth shut.

"Look, Bella, I'm not going to tell you it's forever. Contrary to what your bloodsucker has told you, nothing is meant to last forever. But Jake loves you. Like, obsesses over you. Wants to marry you and give you all his babies. I've been in his brain, remember? It's pathetic. He doesn't even have normal crushes on other girls. And trust me. Other girls have crushes on him."

Bella is having trouble holding back her tears. She can't decide if she's happy or sad, and realizes she is both.

"Okay, the estrogen level in here is a little high. I'm going to go. I'll ask my mom about the dreams."

Bella looks horrified until Leah rolls her eyes and says, "For god's sake, Swan, just the mark, not the lead up. I'd love to forget about the rest of it, trust me."

Bella heaves a sigh of relief. "Thanks."

Leah pauses in the back door. "I'm probably going to talk to him tonight, Bella."

Bella nods. "Can you tell him..." _I love him, I miss him, and I want him to come home._ "Tell him that I miss him and I want him to come home."

Leah smiles a genuine, sarcasm-free smile. "Sure. Night, Swan."

X-x-x-x-X

Monday

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob open his eyes and looks up into the green leaves of a tree. Sometime during the night, he phased back to human, so he's lying buck naked on the forest floor. Good thing the only ones around to catch the show were the squirrels and rabbits.

He heaves a sigh of disappointment at waking alone, again. How badly he wishes last night was real. Bella had accepted him at his wildest, at his most feral. Not just accepted it. Loved it. Relished it. It turned her on. If only he could convince the real Bella to give him a chance. He loves her. His wolf loves her. He has always known that his Bells is the only girl for him. Now his wolf knows it too.

He dunks himself in the freezing stream to get clean, and as soon as he is dry he phases to pick up the trail again.

There is only one wolf phased, and is patrolling LaPush, which means that whomever is on Bella duty is probably human right now. She is probably at work, where there is no good place for a wolf to watch out for her. He speaks briefly with Sam.

_How is everything at home?_

_Uneventful, for now. Having any luck?_

_I'm following a lead. I was able to pick up the trail again. It's going northwest. How's my dad?_

_Okay. No big issues. He just misses you._

_I miss him too._

_When will you be back?_

_When this is done, or when you need me._

_Okay, Jacob. Stay safe._

He tunes out, and keeps running. The trail keeps along the stream. It's just a little hard to follow, since the leech apparently spends a lot of time in the river itself in order to throw Jake off its tail, but the river isn't big enough for that method to entirely work. He has to slow down by mid afternoon, when the trail breaks off. The vampire apparently wised up and took to the trees, this time turning due west. Searching the trees is harder and slower, but he can climb them too, as a man, and his persistence pays off. He doesn't lose the trail.

By nightfall, the trail has returned to the ground again. He can follow again as a wolf. There was a forest fire here, and the burnt out husks of trees are not suitable for climbing, let alone jumping from tree to tree. He faintly notices Brady, bored in the woods outside Bella's house, when he sees Leah walk up to Brady in human form. Brady runs home and phases out, leaving Jacob blind to whatever events are transpiring at the Swan residence. Sam is waiting for Embry to phase in, and he ignores Sam as well. He concentrates on his prey, and runs harder.

He can smell saltwater ahead of him when Leah phases back in. He barely notices until she tries to get his attention. Embry is quiet, and just listens.

_Jake, I need to talk to you._

He almost breaks his stride. _Is Bella okay?_

_Yeah, yeah. She's fine. But it's about her. Something you really need to know._

_What? What is it?_

_You know how I told you she's dreaming about you. Like, every night? And you showed us you're dreaming of her too?_

Jacob has actually been trying very hard not to think about that. He dreams of her, and she dreams of him. He loves her with his whole heart. She has admitted her love for him. But she is still marrying another man. A man who continues to climb into her bedroom window every night. If his heart, his deeds, and his words haven't changed that, he fails to see how erotic dreams are going to make a difference.

_Yeah. It's nothing. It means nothing._

_No, Jacob. It means something. Last night, something happened. Just watch._

And she replays her conversation with Bella from start to finish.

Jacob doesn't notice that he has stopped running altogether. _My mark. That's my mark?_

Embry is too stunned to joint coherently into the conversation.

_It sure as hell wasn't the bloodsucker's. Aside from the fact that she'd be dead, or turning, he was out the window around the time she started moaning your name. She said it was you, Jacob. And the scent. The scent was yours. _

He is stupefied. The other dreams, him having dreams about her while she is having dreams about him, they could all just be a coincidence. He's in love with her, there's nothing strange about dreaming about making love to her. And even though she's with the leech, she has already admitted, more than once, that she is in love with him as well. So it isn't much of a stretch to think that she might dream of him as well.

But this.

This is something else altogether.

And then Leah replays Bella's words to him. _Tell him that I miss him and I want him to come home._

Embry finally chimes in. _Jake, get the hell back here. This is your chance. This is it. _

Jacob is turning to do just that when a figure drops out of nowhere into his line of vision. A tall, pale, otherworldly creature. A male vampire, with malice in his deep red eyes. There is something off about it.

_Jake, man, is that who I think it is?_

_I thought I was tracking a female. The blonde told me before I ripped her to shreds._

_So she was lying. _

_There's something off about it, guys, help me figure out what it is._

The vampire is smirking at him, and before he can figure out what's off about the monster, it darts away through the trees. He follows. His legs pump beneath him. He has been running all day, but he has a new burst of energy. It is time to end this. And then it hits him. Why did it just show itself? It has evaded him for days. It keeps to the water, jumps from tree to tree to keep it from finding him. Is it leading him into a trap? He has just run in a wide semicircle, and is headed back the way he came. He's running east. This feels too much like the chase that led him up here in the first place. Chasing a dead, phantom Victoria that he never caught. Who had no scent. This vampire, too, has no scent at all. It is only feet from him. His nose should be burning. He stops in his tracks, kicking up dirt in front of him. Embry is screaming.

_It's getting away! What are you doing! It's getting away!_

The monster stops and looks at him. Taunting him to come closer, staying barely out of reach.

He turns in the opposite direction. Sprints toward the bay. Back toward the acrid stench he has been following for days.

_Jake, Jake, what are you doing? It's right there! You can't turn your back to it!_

_It's a trick. Or a trap. I won't fall for it this time!_

He picks up speed, and minutes later he breaks through the treeline onto a rocky beach. And for a moment, just a millisecond, he catches sight of dark hair plastered against a small, pale face, sparkling brighter than the moon upon the waves. It disappears.

Jacob howls his frustration. That was it. That was the one he has been tracking for days. Its scent leads directly into the water.

He is so close, but there is nothing he can do. He could wait here on the beach for eternity. It wouldn't matter. The vampire can outwait him. He has no way of knowing if it will go north, south, or across the bay to one of the neighboring islands. He should head home, and hope he gets there before it gets to Bella. At least she is protected for now. His brothers and Leah have been watching closely over her since he has been gone. He hates that she is unwittingly acting as bait again, but at least he knows the rogue's ultimate destination. It wants his Bella.

His Bella. Now, at least on some level, she really is his Bella. His Bella who wants him to come home. He hears Leah in the background.

_It's complicated, Jake. You know that better than I do. But she hasn't really spent time with him in days._

_But he's still going into her room, isn't he? I saw him in your mind._

_He is, but he doesn't stay long. He hears her dreaming about you, freaks out, and leaves. It's hysterical, actually._ She replays a couple choice moments for Jake to enjoy.

_What does she think of the mark?_

_I don't know, Jake. You know her, she's scared. I think she was hoping it was some kind of guarantee. That it would keep you from imprinting. She's terrified that what happened to me will happen to her._

_I won't imprint! I'll never do that to her! I won't hurt her like that!_

_You can't guarantee that. You know that, Jake._

_But this doesn't happen! Regular dreams don't leave marks on your skin. You said it's my scent, Leah. That has to mean something._

_But what does it mean?_

Jake knows what he wants it to mean. He wants it to be a confirmation of what he has believed his whole life. That Bella is his, that he is hers, and that nothing can break them apart.

He turns back to the woods. He wants to explore the area fully. He retraces his steps and double checks all the areas he saw the phantom vampire. He is fairly certain it was an illusion, but he has no way to be sure. It was certainly intended to be a distraction; that much is clear. The image of Victoria he saw outside his home must have been the same. The very one that led him on this wild goose chase. At least he has chased it away from Bella, even if for only a matter of days. And now, he has a clue what he's fighting.

Now it's time to go home. He would stay here and wait for it until the end of time if he thought that would protect her. But it knows exactly where he is now. It knows how close he has gotten to it, and it could go anywhere, wait as long as it wants for its chance. So he needs to get back to his Bella. He needs to be there to protect her as soon as possible, and for as long as she will let him. It's time to go fight for her. Now that his wolf has chosen her as his mate, he won't lose her to this newborn or to Edward Cullen.

He turns toward home.


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Tuesday

X-x-x-x-X

When Bella goes downstairs the next morning, Charlie is on the phone, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, eyes shut, brow furrowed. She listens to him as she pulls a pot roast out of the refrigerator. She expects to feed Leah now, and if she puts the roast in the crockpot, it can cook all day long without her making any particular effort.

"Uh huh. Sounds like it. I'll meet you there as soon as I can. I'm leaving now." He hangs up the phone.

"Bad news, Dad?"

"The worst news, Bella. A body." He pulls her in for an uncharacteristic hug. "I'll be home when I can. Try to stay out of trouble, okay?"

Bella tries to reassure herself. It could be anything. There is no reason to think a vampire is involved. Except for the fact that since she came to Forks, every last suspicious death in the area was caused by a vampire.

Her inner Jacob voice has been quiet for a few days, but pipes up, _And you want to be a vampire so badly because..._

She wonders if Jacob's mark on her shoulder would still be there is she turned. Which leads her to wonder if Jacob's mark will be more prominent if he marks her for real, instead of just in a dream. _Not if. When._ She flushes at the thought. Her body wants it, that much is certain. A part of her, an increasingly large part of her, wants the mark to be visible to everyone. She wants to be able to see it herself. She moves her fingers over it and electricity shoots down her spine. She finds it reassuring. It's proof of what she has.

It's undeniable. Ever since Jacob kissed her on the mountaintop, her eyes were opened to the truth that she loves him. But that didn't lessen her feelings for Edward, nor her terror that she might choose Jacob only to have him imprint and leave her one day. She's still scared, but her feelings for Jacob can no longer be pushed aside. It's much too late for that; ironically, since she hasn't even spoken to him since he left to protect her. The closest she has gotten is Leah.

Before she fell asleep the night before, a soft knock at her door startled her. Charlie's footfalls are heavy, so she thought it was unusual that she hadn't heard his approach. When she called, "Come in," Leah Clearwater entered. Her stomach sank. Something bad must have happened.

She was too afraid to ask why Leah had come to her room in the middle of the night, so instead she blurted out, "Why didn't you come in the window?"

In the dark, she thought she saw Leah cock an eyebrow at her. Leah said dryly, "Do you prefer that, Swan? Does that, ahem, do something for you?"

She breathed a sigh of relief. Leah wouldn't have harassed her and leaned casually against her dresser if Jacob was dead.

"Your back door was unlocked. You need to hang out with your normal friends some more, Swan. Reset your expectations. So do you want to know why I'm here or not?"

Bella pushed herself up in bed. "Yeah, yeah. Sorry. Is everyone okay?"

"Everyone's fine. There's good news and bad news, though. Jake tracked down the vamp he was looking for, but it took off into the water before he could kill it."

Bella knew there must be more to this story than Leah let on. "What happened?"

"I'll let him tell you himself. He's coming home."

Bella's heart leapt into her throat. "When?"

"Couple days, maybe? Depends on whether he can find good places to run as a wolf. If he has to go at normal human speeds it could take longer. If he was still in Vancouver he could get back by tomorrow, but he made it pretty far north yesterday and today."

Bella gaped at her a little. Was she ready for this? Was she ready to see him?

Leah turned to go. "I'll tell him you said hi." She smirked.

Before she turned the doorknob, she asked without looking at Bella, "Still want me to let the leech in tonight?"

Much too casually, as if she was talking about a casual acquaintance rather than the supposed love of her life, she replied, "Tell him I'm asleep and that I'll see him tomorrow."

If only she could figure out what to do by tomorrow.

Leah grinned at the now open door in front of her. "Night, Swan."

"Oh, and Leah? Try singing really loudly in your head, or reciting something, if you want to keep him out of your head. I think by now he probably knows everything anyway, but I know Jake hates that Edward can hear everything he thinks, and I figure you might feel the same."

Leah nodded and left.

Bella tossed and turned in her own bed for hours before finally falling asleep. She alternated between elation and terror until she finally drifted off to sleep. The little red house was empty, so she lay in Jacob's bed staring at the ceiling most of the night.

At work the next day she is even more distracted than the day before. While retrieving a set of sneakers off a high shelf in the stockroom, she pulls the entire pile down upon her own head, luckily causing no injuries other than to her pride. She fails to answer a ringing phone on three separate occasions, and nearly forgets to charge a customer for an entire purchase. Finally, Mrs. Newton pulls her aside and presses a granola bar and a bottle of gatorade into her hand.

"Honey, Mike told me you fainted yesterday. I was the exact same way when I was carrying Mike. Even though I was lucky and didn't get morning sickness, I was dizzy all the time. And the pregnancy brain was ridiculous. I felt like I had Alzheimer's or something."

Bella tries to break in, but fails. This is exactly what she was afraid of. Everyone in Forks must think she's marrying Edward because she's pregnant.

Mrs. Newton continues, "But you have to make sure to keep up with your fluids and make sure your blood sugar stays up. I don't know how far along you are; you don't have to tell me. But you're far too skinny to begin with, and you're eating for two now." Mrs. Newton finally pauses to take a breath, and Bella is able to get a word in.

"Honestly, I'm not pregnant, Mrs. Newton, just clumsy and sleep deprived. Thanks for thinking of me, but it's not possible." She is blushing, and is far too embarrassed to say anything more.

Then she has a revelation. There is no way that Edward could have gotten her pregnant, but there is also no way that she should have a bite mark on her shoulder. She has a sudden, passing, and ridiculous terror that she is pregnant by Jacob. The absurdity of it makes her laugh out loud. Mrs. Newton looks at her oddly.

"Thanks anyway, Mrs. Newton. I'm definitely not pregnant, but I am dehydrated, and my blood sugar probably is low." She makes a show of eating what she has been given, and manages to get through the rest of her shift without incident.

When she turns onto her street, she sees Alice's yellow Porsche outside her house. Alice steps out of her car and gives a little wave.

She meets Alice on the front porch, and Alice gives her a tight hug and they go inside.

Alice plunges right in. "Rose was right. You're different."

"Is it awful, Alice?" Bella is afraid that her mark will mean that they can't be around her anymore. She walks to the kitchen and starts chopping vegetables to put in her roast. She has too much nervous energy, and the action gives her a way to focus it. Although using a knife while she is so unfocused is probably not a good idea.

"No, Bella. It's a subtle change, really. Actually, it just makes it easier to be around you and not be tempted to drain you."

"So we can still be friends?" she asks with genuine trepidation.

"Silly Bella, of course. And you do realize that Rose likes you more now, don't you?"

"Um, I'd say she hates me less, not likes me more."

Alice laughs, and replies, "Tow-may-tow, tow-mah-tow. You know, she won't ever admit it, but your mutt is totally her type."

Bella looks up, startled. "What are you talking about? Rose hates the wolves."

"They're our natural enemies, sure. But didn't you say he's a good mechanic? You know how much Rose loves cars. And look at him and look at Emmett. Big, brawny, generally happy guys who like to joke and have fun. Anti-Edwards." She pauses. "Actually, it's kind of odd that you go for both types of guys. They're basically polar opposites."

Bella is glad she can talk to Alice about this. Alice had reassured her that they could stay friends even if she chose Jake, but she wasn't convinced. "Jake told me that he was the natural path my life would have taken, had Edward never appeared."

"What do you think, Bella?" Alice says softly.

"He was right."

"And now?"

Bella can't speak. She dumps her vegetables into the crockpot with a shaky hand, spilling half of them on the counter. Alice puts her hand on Bella's arm with a reassuring squeeze.

"Edward wants to see you, I'm sure you know."

"I told Leah to tell him I'd talk to him today. Did he come last night? Did he see her?"

Alice nods. "He was pretty unhappy when he came back. But then again, he's been unhappy for a while now," she says gently.

"When he was watching me at work, did he know about the mark?"

"Not yet, no. He knew something was wrong, though, because of my visions."

"He thinks I've already chosen Jake."

"Or worse, Bella." Bella immediately gets alarmed, so Alice reassures her, "Don't be afraid, Bella. None of us will let anything bad happen to you."

"How much does he know, Alice?"

Alice tilts her head. "I'm not certain. He's not really talking to anyone right now. Not even Carlisle. But Rose isn't very good at hiding her thoughts, so probably everything she knows. I have no idea what he gathered from talking to the she-wolf last night."

"Leah," Bella interrupts.

Alice nods. "Leah. He was angry when he got home, but I don't know what she told him."

"Leah knows more than I do, since she can talk to Jake."

"I don't know what she revealed, Bella. All I know is that he only wants to talk to you now, but he's also terrified of what you have to tell him."

"Me too, Alice."

"Are you ready to go now?"

She shakes her head. She will never be ready for this. She still isn't sure what she is going to say.

Too quickly, they arrive at the Cullen mansion. Bella chides herself for being melodramatic, but the house feels empty and cold. Alice opens the front door, then steps back.

"Everyone is out hunting, Bella. I'm going to go join the others." Bella can barely hear Alice through the intense sound of blood rushing in her ears, but nods and enters the house, shutting it quietly behind her. The house is still, and she slowly ascends the stairs. Edward is standing stock still in the middle of his bedroom, hands clenched behind his back, staring out at the trees. When she enters the room, he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.

"So it's true." His voice is soft.

"Yes."

"When Rosalie came home yesterday, I simply didn't believe her. And the she-wolf didn't exactly reveal very much."

"I'm not sure I believe it, either." Her voice is surprisingly steady, in opposition to the frantic beating of her heart.

His eyes are still closed. Aside from speaking, he hasn't moved at all. She can barely hear him. "How?"

"I don't know, Edward. I have no idea."

He is silent for long moments. She doesn't know what else to say.

"What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know that either, Edward." It is the truth. She hasn't actually spoken a word to Jacob since she drove him away. She doesn't actually know how he will react to her when he gets home. Other than the mark, she doesn't know how much of her dreams actually happened. Not to mention, they don't actually do much talking in the dreams.

"You still love me." It is not a question.

Simply, "Yes."

He turns and move so quickly that she barely registers movement, and then he is leaning over her, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other cupping the back of her head. His gaze bores into her. "Then I still have a chance." And his lips are on hers. Too cold. Too hard. He holds her in a grip she cannot break, and he allows his lips to part. He has never, ever kissed her like this before, too afraid of accidentally exposing her to his venom. Is he trying to do that now? When she realizes what is happening, she squirms enough that he lets her lips go, but doesn't back away otherwise.

He whispers harshly, "We can still be together, my love. It doesn't have to change anything."

She tries to pull back to look him in the eye. "How could it not, Edward? I don't even smell the same, do I?"

His voice is harder than it has ever been. "Bella, my love, do you think I love you for your scent? Do you really think so little of me? Besides, once you are changed, it will disappear. I know it will. The future we want, all of eternity, still stretches ahead of us."

"Does she still see it? Does Alice still see it?"

"The future can be altered. You know that, Bella. And I don't know if she can't see you because of him, or because he failed to catch the newborn he is tracking. I need you to be safe, Bella. I can keep you safe." His voice is cracking.

"From the newborn?"

He nods. "And from the Volturi. Would you rather die when they arrive, rather than be with me? Would you risk the entire pack, the entire tribe, just to be with him?"

Her voice is stuck in her throat. She cannot ask the pack for such a thing, and Edward knows it.

"I would feel so much more secure if I could stay in your room, Bella. But the dreams..." He trails off. "When I thought thought they were just dreams it was bad enough. But this." His voice turns into a hiss. His grip on her tightens, almost to the point of pain. "I always knew I had to protect you from him, but I never expected anything like this. This Quileute black magic."

She tugs at him until he releases her enough that she can take a step back. "He didn't hurt me, Edward. He would never hurt me."

He spins her around and pulls her collar aside so he can see. "How can you say that, Bella? He bit you! It's as plain as day!" He touches it, barely, with the tip of one finger, and his touch is a stinging, cold burn. She flinches away, more startled than hurt. She is used to his touch causing a pleasant tingle, not this frostbite pain. The hole in her chest aches.

She turns back toward Edward, and the hurt on his face is worse than her own.

"He didn't hurt me," she insists. Does she really need to spell it out for him? "And besides, he wasn't even here."

"Exactly! He did this from miles away! He is using some awful, dark magic on you, Bella, and I won't let it continue. He's clouding your mind somehow. You're vulnerable in your sleep, and he's taking advantage!"

It certainly doesn't feel that way. "He isn't taking advantage, Edward. Trust me. You don't need to know more." She really, really doesn't want to talk about this with Edward. If anything, her sleep is the only time she has been honest. She knows that now. But she hates to hurt Edward.

"You only think that because he has cast some kind of spell on you. I don't know what he has done to you, but I will find a way to reverse it."

He doesn't understand. She hates to hurt him, but he deserves the truth. "My feelings for him are my own, Edward. Just as real as my feelings for you."

"You aren't meant for him, Bella. You're not his imprint, so he should never have marked you! You're meant for me! I have waited a hundred years for you, Bella. There is no one else for me. But he has someone else out there, waiting for him. What will you do when he casts you aside?"

To this she still has no answer. It is now her very greatest fear. "You will return to me, Bella. I will still be waiting for you. I will always wait for you, no matter how long. Because we are meant to have eternity together." He closes the gap between them and grasps her arms hard. There will be bruises in the morning. His voice is low and fierce. "We don't have to wait any longer, Bella. Let me change you now. You will be safe from the newborn, from the Volturi, and from the dog."

"And my feelings will never change? I will love you forever?"

He has victory in his eyes. He leans forward, his cold lips pressed against her throat. "Your love will intensify, Bella. What you feel for me now will only be stronger. We will be happy together."

She whispers, "And my feelings for Jacob? How I feel now, only more, until the end of time?"

Suddenly his grip on her arms is gone, as he pushes her sharply away from him, and she stumbles backward against the bed. He has backed up against his window, and has fallen to his knees, head cradled in his hands. She loosens his mother's ring from her finger and holds it out to him. He looks up at her, devastation in his beautiful eyes.

"No, Bella. It is yours. Only yours. There will never be another for me, never be another woman who will wear that ring."

He won't take it back, and short of dropping on the floor or throwing it at him, she can't leave it here, so she pushes it into her pocket.

She kneels down to wrap her arms around him. She can't stand to cause him this pain, and he holds onto her, onto his hope for the life he wants.

"I don't accept this, Bella. You love me. I love you and only you. He won't always love you. He's not meant for you. He can't protect you. His magic won't last. His hold on you will break. And when you see that, I'll be waiting for you. As long as it takes."

She waits until his grip on he loosens, kisses his cool forehead, and leaves. She idly realizes tears are streaming down her face, and then, that she has no way to get home. She takes the long walk down their winding drive, and as she reaches the road, finds an unfamiliar sedan. Leah Clearwater rolls down the window.

She opens the passenger door and climbs in.

"I got the weirdest call today, Swan. I was in a dead sleep, and Seth goes banging on my door. Says some chick named Alice is calling for me. Took me a while to figure out who he was talking about." She turns her car toward Bella's home.

"She asked you to come get me?" Bella is very touched.

"Yeah. Shocked the hell out of me. She said you'd need a ride home, so I figured no one was planning on killing you tonight. They normally don't give us warning for that."

"Did she tell you what happened?"

"No, but it doesn't take a genius to figure it out." She gestures toward Bella's hand. "Looks a lot lighter."

"He wouldn't take it back." She sniffles and pulls the ring out of her pocket.

"It's gaudy. Not exactly your speed, Swan."

"It was his mother's." Her voice is thick with tears.

"Maybe when he's ready he'll take it back."

Bella stares out the window. "I don't think he's going to be ready any time soon."

"Neither was Sam. It was stupid. He ended it, so why won't he take back the ring? I wasn't asking him to re-gift it to Emily or something."

Bella is startled enough that she stops crying for a second. Leah has never said anything so personal to her. Leah continues, "I still have no idea what to do with the damn thing. Can't throw it away, don't want to keep it, seems wrong to sell it." She laughs harshly. "You can have mine and I'll take yours, and then they'll just be a couple rings. The pack will love that. A vampire's giant rock on my finger. I'll tell them that after you dumped him, Eddie-boy came to me for comfort, and we fell in loved and eloped."

Bella can't help but snicker. She feels silly, crying and laughing at the same time. She looks over at Leah, who has her eyes on the road and is trying to look serious. "We could have crazy, perverted sex and make mutant babies."

Bella laughs out loud, despite herself. "You could actually handle him. He's always too afraid of hurting me to have sex."

Leah is grinning now. "Oh, I could show him a thing or two, Swan. He'll forget about you in no time."

"It's a plan, then. You'll help him get get over me."

Leah nods. "It'll be convenient. I'll just have to find a way to get past the smell. Do you think he'll mind if I spray him with Febreze before each roll in the hay? I'll probably need something stronger. What do morticians use? Will he smell better if I douse him in embalming fluid?"

Bella finds herself grinning. Then she feels guilty for not being more upset. "Oh, speaking of mutant babies. Mrs. Newton thinks I'm pregnant."

Leah gives her a sideways glance. "Sorry to break this to you, Swan, but she's not the only one who thinks that."

Bella sighs, "I know, I know. It's one of the reasons I didn't want to get married. I know that, like, everybody assumes that I'm knocked up, otherwise why else would we be getting married right away? No one would believe me that it's the opposite."

"You mean that he's a prude who won't sleep with you, so you have to get hitched in order to get him into bed?"

Bella sighs. "Well, it's not going to happen now."

"I wouldn't worry about that. I'm pretty sure someone will be here, very soon, who will be happy to steal away your virtue." She pauses. "Only he's younger than you, so actually you're a cradle-robber."

"Do you know that I actually panicked for a second that I might actually be pregnant? I mean, I know it's totally absurd. I'm a virgin."

"Technically," Leah interrupts.

"Fine, technically. But after I got the mark from a dream, I was suddenly freaked out that I could get, you know, a baby from a dream too."

"Wouldn't that be something. A virgin birth. You could have the Quileute baby Jesus."

Bella giggles. "Hey Leah?"

"Mm?" Leah is pulling into her driveway. Charlie's cruiser is already there.

"Thanks for coming to get me. Do you want dinner? There should be a pot roast ready about now. It's been in the crockpot all day, so it should be pretty good by now. I actually seasoned this meal."

"Sure, thanks. I thought about letting you walk home and going back to bed, but Jake will be back soon, and he'll have no compunction about kicking my ass. Hey, before we get inside, when do you get off work tomorrow?"

"Two. Why?"

"I'm taking you to Planned Parenthood."

Bella's jaw falls open. "Leah, I wasn't serious about thinking I was pregnant."

"No shit, Sherlock. I'm getting you on birth control."

Bella turns bright red. "You're what?"

"You heard me. I have sex on the brain. Horrible, disturbing, Jake 'n Bells sex on the brain. You've been torturing me for days on patrol listening to your awful dreams about Jake. Thank god he'll be here soon and I can stop listening to it. Your half of it, anyway. Of course, this probably means I'll have to start seeing it on porno-vision in his brain, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Anyway, you and I both know you aren't going to be a virgin for much longer, and I'm pretty sure neither one of you wants to be parents quite yet."

Bella is back to stuttering. "Leah... I... we... it's not... I just broke up with Edward today! The last time I saw Jake I was awful. We're not... I'm not..."

"Uh huh, you keep telling yourself that, Swan. Whatever incoherent thing that you're trying to say. Sure, sure." Leah opens the front door and greets a surprised Charlie, who is standing in the kitchen putting a newly empty dish in the sink.

"Leah, nice to see you again. Are you guys, um, hanging out again?"

Leah deadpans, "We're doing manis and pedis tonight."

Charlie looks perplexed. Leah clearly has dirt underneath her fingernails, and no shoes. "Right, right. Have fun."

He returns to the kitchen table, where he has files spread out across the surface. He gathers them together, but a photograph falls out and onto the floor. Bella retrieves it to hand it back to him, but freezes when she recognizes the person in the photograph. It is a photo taken for an ID badge. A UPS ID badge. It's the same delivery man who left the package for Charlie that immediately disappeared.

"Dad, is this..."

Charlie stuffs the picture back in the folder. "Yeah, 'fraid so. His name was Frank. You ever meet him?"

"Yeah. He delivered something to the house once. Not long ago."

Charlie frowns. "When, Bells? He's been dead at least a month."

Leah is watching both of them carefully. Bells has turned even paler than usual and is swaying on her feet. Leah moves to pull a chair out for Bella. "Bella, you need some food in you. You shouldn't have skipped lunch today." She fixes a plate for Bella, who is staring dazedly in front of her.

"It must have been right before he died, then. What happened to him, dad?" Bella asks in a small voice.

"Something bad, Bella. Something bad. You don't want to know." He shakes his head. "You still have your pepper spray?" Bella nods slowly. "Make sure you carry it with you at all times, okay? For your old dad's sake." He goes to the closet and pulls out another can, handing it to Leah. "You too, okay?"

This causes Bella to smile behind his back. If anything, Charlie should be carrying pepper spray to protect himself from Leah. But Leah accepts it gracefully. "Thanks, Chief. I'll be sure to do that."

"Okay, I'm gonna head upstairs. Have an early start tomorrow, because of this. Night, girls."

Leah makes herself a plate and sits across from Bella. "Your dad's a good guy."

Bella nods, suddenly feeling guilty for so recently being so willing to abandon her father. "He wants to take care of me. I've made it pretty hard for him so far, but I get it now. I'm going to take better care of him."

Leah tries to hide a genuine smile behind a bite of food, but doesn't succeed. Then she sobers. "So what freaked you out so much about the dead guy?"

Bella leans back in her chair and closes her eyes. "This is going to sound crazy."

"Swan, at least half of everything you say sounds crazy."

Bella laughs despite herself. "I saw him. Here."

"You said that to your dad earlier."

"Right, but what I didn't say is that it was after he died."

Leah freezes, fork in hand, midway to her mouth. "Say again?"

Bella takes a deep breath. "It was the same day I saw Jake last. I answered the door, and that guy, Frank, he handed me a package with Charlie's name on it. I closed the door and turned around to put the box down. As soon as I got it on the kitchen table, maybe five or ten seconds later, I heard someone at the door again, and figured it was the UPS guy who had forgotten to get a signature from me. But it wasn't. It was Jake. The UPS guy was nowhere to be seen, his truck was nowhere to be seen, and Jake swore there was no one else out there. After I talked to Jake I never saw the box again."

Leah is frowning. "Something seriously screwed up is going on, isn't it?"

"I think so."


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Tuesday

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob spent a fruitless night searching the woods near the bay where the vampire disappeared. He never found any sign of the male vampire that distracted him long enough for his real prey to escape into the water. There was only one trail, and that led straight into the water. It was the same one he had been tracking from home.

Once he is convinced that there is nothing left to find, he begins the journey home. He would love to lie down and sleep, but there is a vampire after Bella, and he has to get there first. He is simultaneously elated and terrified to see her again. He feels that he has grown somehow closer to her in his absence. He knows it is due to his dreams. He hopes she remembers them in the same way he does. He remembers everything with perfect clarity: the silky texture of her hair twined in his fingers, the heat of her breath against his lips as she gasped, the reflection of moonlight off the sweat dampened skin of her back. Until now, he thought they were just vivid fantasies, projections of what he wants but will never be. But if he has managed to mark her, claim her as his own, and the mark lives on her waking body... He can barely contemplate the implication.

What does Bella think? She asked Leah to tell him to come home, but did she mean anything at all by it? She missed him, but he knew that already, just like he knew she loved him before she did herself. Will she willfully ignore the undeniable proof of their bond? Will she beg him to be her friend? If she remembers their nights together the way he does, she can't possibly think he can pretend to just be friends. Not when he knows the taste of her flesh, the sound of her cries, and the slick, tight heat of her body.

No. She is the girl he had loved his whole life, and the mate his wolf has chosen. In their dreams, she is free and she is happy. He can only hope that she remembers that during her waking hours.

Thoughts like these threaten to overwhelm him as he runs. It used to be easier to avoid thinking about Bella as a wolf. Giving himself over to his wolf dulled his human emotions somewhat, and he could survive on instinct alone if he needed to. Jacob the man could have been absorbed by his wolf, had he allowed it. But now his wolf has chosen Bella, so his instincts to return to her and fully claim her as his own are even stronger than before. He runs a little harder.

From time to time he checks in with his brothers. LaPush and Forks are still quiet, so mostly he tunes them out, although the closer he gets to home, the harder it becomes.

By nightfall the following night, he is approaching Vancouver again. He is battling twin needs to get back to Bella and protect her, versus his basic need for sleep. His wolf can survive on less sleep than the man, but even his wolf has his limits.

He is starting to slow, just a little, from fatigue and lack of food. He has probably dropped from his top speed down to around 80 miles per hour. He hears Sam patrolling just inside the woods along Second Beach, and listens to Leah phase in outside the Swan residence. She is carefully keeping her thoughts neutral around Sam, as she always does, but when she notices that Jake is phased in and sprinting home toward them, sends him a single image.

_Jake, today was a good day._

The image is of Bella pulling her engagement ring out of her pocket. A bare left hand.

_You should get back here. Like, right now._

_I'm working on it. _Jacob is stunned. He won't believe it until he sees it with his own eyes. He won't believe it until she tells him herself. Maybe he won't believe it even then.

_Believe it or don't, no skin off my nose._

Sam chimes in, _He's right to be careful, Leah. That girl isn't exactly a model of consistency._

She changes the subject. _There's something else you guys should probably know about. I don't know what it means, but it's probably important._

She replays their conversation with Charlie from the moment he dropped Frank's picture to the floor.

_It's got to be her, _says Jacob.

_The one you're chasing?_ Sam asks.

_She showed me a dead Victoria and that male vampire yesterday to try to distract me. I'd bet you anything that she did the same thing to Bella._

_Any clue why she would bother? Bella didn't get hurt or anything, did she?_

_No, but I got there right away. Maybe I stopped something from happening without knowing it. You're still keeping a close eye on her, right Leah?_

_Of course. I haven't slept in my own bed at nighttime for days. _She actually doesn't sound bitter._ When do you think you'll get here? Feel free to take over anytime._

_Sometime during the day tomorrow._

_Okay, well, depending on when you get here, she may be busy._ She says it cryptically and refuses to elaborate. She actually spends the next several minutes playing a song in her mind, raising both his and Sam's suspicions.

The next hour passes in such a fashion until Jacob converges on a fresh vampire trail. It is unfamiliar, but it is coming in the west and is heading south, in the same direction Jacob is running. It is probably just a random nomad, but Jacob can't help but be paranoid. He gets more and more worried the longer he follows it. It is tracing the path he intends to use to go home. He picks up speed.

Sam chimes in. _Jacob, don't be rash. You're still nowhere near Forks. It's probably just a nomad._

_Probably isn't good enough, Sam._

He is gaining ground; he can sense it. The stench is getting stronger. This vampire doesn't seem to be making any attempt at evasion. It's not darting through the trees or climbing any of them. Which means either it really is a nomad headed somewhere minding its own business, or it is leading him into a trap. He prepares himself for either possibility.

In another fifteen minutes, he catches sight of it ahead of him. The wind is behind Jacob, and is blowing his scent toward the vampire. It hears and senses his approach, and glances quickly over its shoulder to look at him. It is a female, is relatively dark skinned with long black hair, and was probably Hispanic while it was still alive. It is slender and of average height. It looks genuinely startled to see him, and it picks up speed to try to get away from him. But it isn't fast enough.

They are approaching a hilly area full of rocky outcroppings in the distance. Jacob sees what it's headed for. There's a narrow break in the rock. The vampire is either trying to reach the narrow opening to hide in it, since his wolf will not be able to fit in the crack, or there is an ambush there, waiting for him. The rocks are downwind from him, so he cannot tell if there are other vampire scents in the area.

He hears Leah and Sam yelling warnings of caution in his mind as he reaches his maximum speed.

He catches up with the vampire just before it reaches the opening in the rock. Which is the same moment that he sees Edward Cullen drop directly into Leah's line of vision.

The dark-skinned female jumps up, vaults off the rock face, and throws itself at Jacob.

Leah crouches down and growls at Edward, who is in a defensive crouch of his own.

Edward's voice is a growl. _"What have you people done to her? She doesn't belong to him. She belongs to me!"_

Jacob hears Sam howl out a call for backup and sees him begin to race toward Forks at the same moment that Jacob dodges left. The female vampires misses him entirely, and he turns quickly, his back to the rock, to face it. He springs at it while it tries to gain its footing, but it twists at the last second and rolls away. They stop and both take defensive positions.

Leah is growling at Edward. The lights are off in the Swan house, and he is trying to see in over Leah's shoulder. Edward is hissing, "_Did you think that just by changing her scent you would make me fall out of love with her? Or were you so foolish as to think that mark puts any claim on her that I would respect? That she would even recognize?_"

Sam is only minutes away, and is yelling at Leah, _Be careful, Leah! Stall him until I get there._

One by one, other members start to phase in, their voices adding to the chaos.

Jacob breaks in, _Remember guys, he's reading Leah's mind. He can hear everything we say. Edward, calm down. I haven't touched her and you know it. I'm not even in the country._

Sam shifts his attention to Jacob. _Jake, you're faster than that vampire. You can't take it down while you're talking to us. Retreat while you still can!_

Jacob growls back, _Not a chance_, just as the female springs at him. He stays still until the last moment, when he feints left and takes off its right arm at the shoulder. The screech of ripping metal, the screams of the vampire, and the voices in his mind are a cacophany.

Leah is yelling at Edward, _You see that, leech? He'll take you down himself when he gets here, if I let you live long enough!_

Sam is pleading for calm. _Leah, don't antagonize him. He's volatile and dangerous!_

Leah snarls back. _I've got this, Sam. I've got it covered. _She hates his misguided need to protect her.

Edward himself snarls back, _"I hope he gets away from that vampire so he can come back here and I can kill him myself for what he has done to my Bella!"_ Edward starts to pace back and forth, much too rapidly, while Leah holds her position between him and the Swan house.

Jacob is spitting the arm out of his mouth and is turning back toward the vampire when he smells and hears something right above him. He can see the one-armed vampire out of the corner of his eye, smirking at him, and he jumps to the side just as another leech falls on him from above.

Sam is screaming at him now. _Retreat, Jake, retreat! You can't take them both down! That's an order! Leah, hold still. We can't afford a war with the Cullens!_

Jacob feels a searing pain just as he sees Edward stalking toward Leah. He has dodged just far enough that the second vampire only rips a chunk out of his left shoulder with its claws, rather than ripping off his head. _Fuck the orders! I'm not running away!_

He is filled with rage listening to Edward Cullen accuse him of black, treacherous magic. As he turns to face both vampires, he feels his anger fueling him. Making him grow. Sam's voice is growing fainter in his mind. _Jake, retreat! It's not safe! Back down!_ He feels tearing, stretching pain throughout his entire body, and then a rush of power like he has never felt before. Sam's voice is only a whisper, and holds no power over him now. He howls his rage. Leah's voice disappears, and he can no longer see through her eyes. He wonders momentarily if she is all right, fears that Edward rendered her unconscious, or worse yet. But he knows he would have seen and felt Edward's attack before her mind went blank, and is reassured.

The two vampires are looking at him with wide eyes. The second vampire is tall, nearly as tall and broad as Jacob himself. Its face was scarred badly before it was turned, and most of its visible skin is covered in tattoos, giving it a very threatening look. But Jacob has no fear left for himself. He will kill these vampires and return to Bella.

He looks between the two of them. They are stunned into stillness by his growth right in front of their eyes. He knows it would make the most sense to attack the larger, uninjured vampire first, and take the injured one down when the opportunity presents itself.

He lunges at the injured vampire which stands to the side of, and paces behind, the larger one. They both fall for his trick. The smaller one isn't expecting his attack and doesn't protect itself in time to keep its left arm. The larger one moves behind him as he tackles the startled, injured vampire to the ground. He keeps the injured one pinned beneath him and kicks his powerful hind legs out just as he senses the larger one lunging at him from behind. He sends it crashing into the trees behind it, giving him enough time to snap the smaller vampire's head off with his powerful jaws.

As he whirls around to face the larger vampire, who is screaming out its grief, he hears Leah's voice ring out in his mind. Sam's voice is there too, but he can easily ignore it. _Jake, where are you? I'm trying to find you!_

_I'm here. I'm fine. _He ignores the throbbing in his gaping shoulder. _The little one is dead. Show me Cullen._

Jacob peers through her eyes to see that Edward is staring at Leah with the same wide-eyed expression of surprise that he saw in his opponents just moments earlier. He has been startled out of his rant by watching the chaos in the minds in the wolves.

He speaks to Edward through Leah's mind. _Do you see, Cullen? Watch me rip this thing apart if you like. Then I'm coming home and you can face me yourself._

He growls at the vampire before him. In its despair over losing its mate, it rushes him headlong. It is large and strong and could easily crush him if it gets its arms around him. It reaches for his neck, so he jumps backward, rolling onto his back and taking it with him, and pushes it off him with his giant paws. It lands with a great crash against the rock wall.

Jacob immediately rights himself and turns just in time to catch the vampire vaulting itself off the rock at his right side. It just gets a hold of his right rear leg and is about to rip it bodily from its socket when he twists his head back and sinks his teeth into the vampire's right flank, ripping a huge chunk out of its side.

The vampire manages to put a hairline crack in his fibula before it releases him in surprise and pain, falling into a defensive crouch. The throb in his shoulder and rear leg are meaningless. He spits the disgusting chunk of vampire out of his mouth and waits.

He pauses to check in with Leah. Edward is still staring at her in fascination, and has backed down for the moment. _Cullen, if she wants to see you, I won't stop her. You know that._

He watches Edward nod wordlessly. _And if she doesn't want to see you, it's her choice._ Edward's face falls. _You can't accomplish anything tonight other than start a war. Leah's there, Sam's on his way, and Charlie's inside. Go home or stay outside if you want. Leah isn't going anywhere, which means neither am I._

Now the vampire has become cautious and circles him. He turns to keep it at his front. He sees it glancing at the trees around them. It is contemplating an escape route through the trees, or how to drop on him from above again. Jacob doesn't have the time to chase it down if it flees. If he lunges at it while it is planted in a defensive position, there is a good chance it will get its legs around him while he's going for its head or arms. But it has learned not to rush at him. They could circle each other for days. So instead he phases back into human form after calling out, _Be right back, Leah._

"What do you want?"

The vampire is looking at him in shock. "What the fuck are you?"

He smirks. "I'm Jake. She didn't warn you?"

"Warn me, what are you talking about? You killed her!" Its confusion is fading to anger. "You took her away from me!"

Jacob gestures at the scattered body parts. "Put her back together if you can get through me. Not her, the one who sent you. The one with the long, dark hair."

The vampire gives him a look of total confusion. Good. That answers that question. It really is a nomad. He can dispose of it and go home.

"Who?"

Jacob grins. "Never mind, it doesn't matter." He jumps at the vampire, phasing mid-air, landing on the startled vampire and ripping its head off in one swift move.

Leah is laughing hysterically and Edward is frowning at her with folded arms. _Again! You did it again! The nudity of Jacob Black strikes again!_

Edward says dryly, _"Again?"_

_For the third time!_

Leah is shaking with mirth, her tongue lolling out of her mouth. It is the scene that a panicking Sam stumbles upon as he finally makes it to the Swan house. He looks back and forth between them, completely confused.

Sam pulls himself together and faces Edward. _It's over. Whatever the hell it is. Go home, and we will consider the treaty intact. _Edward's shoulders slump in defeat and he disappears.

Jacob watches Sam through Leah's eyes as he methodically tears apart the remaining bodies of the vampires he has just killed. Sam phased back into human form. He is crying, and he kneels in front of Leah. "I thought you were dead, LeeLee. You disappeared, and I thought Cullen killed you."

_Hey Jake, I'm gonna..._

_Sure, sure. Take your time._

She phases out. Once he has the vampires shredded, he phases out as well. He has misplaced his lighter somewhere along the way, so he has to start a fire the old fashioned way. He hopes he remembers how from watching a Tom Hanks movie. Luckily, the rocky outcropping provides some shelter from the damp weather, and he finds dry supplies. He sharpens a long, thin wooden branch against the sharp rock. He finds an appropriate board with a crack in the side and places it on the ground. Under the crack he shoves a strip of bark and dry brush, and then shoves the long branch into the crack. He spins the branch between his hands for a good half an hour before he manages to create an ember. What a pain! This is harder than killing vampires. He has to stop twice to separate his piles of vampire parts, since he sees body parts wiggling and trying to reconnect. If it wasn't for his supernatural strength and stamina, he thinks he would have set his hands on fire long before the tinder.

Eventually he succeeds, and feels a rush of primal satisfaction. He decides that starting fire with his bare hands is the manliest thing he has ever done.

By the time he phases back to wolf form, Leah has settled down in the Swans' back yard for the night.

_Everything okay on your end?_

_Yeah. _She replies simply.

_So we're a cozy little pack of two, huh?_

_Three, probably. As soon as Seth phases back in, he plans on finding you. He kind of freaked out like Sam. He came running when he heard Sam's howl, and just like Sam, he panicked when he couldn't find me in the pack mind. He got here a few minutes after Sam did. Had just about the same reaction. I don't need any more naked guys crying and hugging me, Jake, even if it's just my brother._

_Hmm. Any other updates?_

_Should I just show you?_

_Yeah. Feel free to skip the crying Sam part._

She replays the scene for him. Sam has just pulled himself together and is standing behind her. They are both in human form. Seth's sandy wolf comes tumbling into the small clearing. He doesn't stop running as he phases back to human and barrels into Leah, throwing his arms around her neck and nearly tackling her to the ground. His eyes are red and he is sniffling.

"He said you were dead! He said Edward killed you!"

Leah separates from Seth long enough long enough to punch Sam in the arm. "You jackass, look what you did!" She turns back to her brother as the rest of the pack piles into the clearing. "Put some clothes on, kid. I'm fine. I would have loved for Cullen to try something so I could get a chance to sink my teeth into him, but he was just yelling. When Sam got here, he took off."

Seth is still worried. "And Jacob? When I phased in, he was facing off with two different vampires, Sam was telling him to back off, and then he disappeared. Did they get him?"

"Not a chance. He ripped them both to shreds."

"So why did he disappear?"

Leah smiles. "He's not part of your pack anymore."

"And you?"

"Not in your pack either."

"I'm coming with you."

"Seriously, kid, just put some clothes on first."

"I shredded them," he admits sheepishly. "I thought there was an emergency."

She gives him a noogie. "Thanks for coming to my rescue, then."

The chocolate brown wolf steps into the woods briefly and returns as human. "So what happened to Jake exactly? How did he get rid of both vamps at the same time?"

Leah grins widely. "How do you think, Quil? The patented Jake Black special!"

_Let's just say the conversation degenerated from there._

_Can I at least say that it wasn't the nudity that distracted the vampire so much as it was the phasing?_

_You just keep telling yourself that, Jake. Right._ There is a smirk in her tone.

They keep their line of communication open, but with a companionable silence, as the the sun rises.

_Hey Jake? _

_Mmm?_

_I hear Embry coming to take over. You'll be home soon?_

_Midday, maybe?_

_Good. _

_Get some rest, Leah._

_Take your own advice, boss._

_See you soon. And Leah? _

_Yeah?_

_Thanks for taking care of Bella._

_You're welcome. And you're very welcome to take the task back._

_Sure, sure._

And Jacob is alone in his mind.

Without any distraction, the throb in his leg aches, although thankfully the fracture has not displaced during his run, and his shoulder still stings. The vampire really did manage to take a sizable chunk out of his shoulder. He shouldn't have phased back and forth so quickly, and shouldn't really be running on it now. It might actually leave a small scar. But he has no choice. He has to get home to his Bells.

By the time he can see the sun peeking over the trees, he is back in Washington. He wonders if Bella is awake yet. Did she miss him in her dreams the night before? If he wasn't so desperate to get back to her, to try to beat the rogue vampire home, he would have liked to sleep just once more. He would have loved to meet her in his dreams, and to tell her exactly what she means to him. They have spent so much time exploring each other's bodies. He has learned how to make her beg, how to make her whimper, how to make her moan, and how to make her scream. But what he really wants is to know how to open her heart during her waking hours. He should have stopped exploring her flesh long enough to explore her heart and her mind. As he runs toward home, he prays that these are still open to him. Once upon a time, he had the barest sliver of hope that if she left him for good, he would someday be able to recover and learn to love again. But now that she bears his mark, he knows he can never give it to another. He gave his heart to her fully in the moment he claimed her. He can never take back his heart. He hopes she will be careful with it.

As the morning passes, he takes a wide swath around Seattle, Olympia, and Tacoma in order to stay in wolf form. By midday, he is near Forks. His stomach is in knots between nervous anticipation and lack of food.

It is a weekday and the middle of the day. She is probably at Newton's, unless she's doing whatever cryptic thing Leah referenced the night before.

He runs out of woods to hide his wolf form, phases, and puts on his now filthy shorts. He steps onto the main road, and walks by the drugstore, cafe, bank, and bookstore. He deliberately doesn't look anyone in the eye. He is attracting a lot of stares, some shocked, some appreciative, and a lot of both together. He knows he is an intimidating sight, now even more so since has reached his maximum height.

He stops in front of Newton's. She is in there. He can feel her before he sees her. He crosses the street and spies her through the window. She is kneeling in front of a rack of boots with a pile of boxes next to her, but she isn't moving at all. She is the most beautiful sight he has ever seen.

He opens the door, and the little bell at the top jingles. He stands still in the entryway. Her strawberry and vanilla scent permeates the store. He can't take his eyes off her, but out of the corner of his eye he sees Mike Newton and his mother gaping at him blatantly from behind the cash register. She slowly rises, her back still toward him. He sees her tense, her spine straightens, and her fists open and close at her sides.

He approaches slowly, carefully, until there are only inches between them. She still hasn't moved. She hasn't even taken a breath.

He needs to see it with his own eyes. He reaches out with a trembling hand to brush her hair off her left shoulder. He tugs her shirt to the side. And there it is, plain as day. He lowers his left hand to her hip, leaves his right hand on her other shoulder. Slowly, slowly he leans over to nuzzle the spot with his nose, and she shivers. Lightly, he brushes his lips against his mark. Barely. Softly. And she gasps and arches her back in response, tilting her head to the side, baring her neck to him.

Her voice breaks. "Where have you been?" He smiles against her skin.

"I'm right here." He spins her in his arms to face him, and meets her wide, shining eyes.

"You're here?"

He lifts her gently in his arms to hold her close, and his heart melts a little when she wraps her arms around his shoulders. He doesn't plan on ever letting go.

"I'm here."


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright nfringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Tuesday

X-x-x-x-X

After Leah goes outside Bella is alone for the night. For once she doesn't have to worry about Edward climbing in her window. There is no way Leah will let him get past her tonight.

As she changes into her pajamas and crawls into bed, he suspects she will probably not find Jacob in her dreams tonight. If Leah is correct, he is sprinting home at this very moment, and therefore won't be asleep to meet her in the little red house. She suspects this is what happened every time she waited for him and he never showed up. She recalls the times she found him in wolf form. He must have fallen asleep in the woods, so she found him there rather than in his bed or motel room.

Did all of it really happen? She hopes so. She lightly runs her fingers over her mark and feels tingles run over her body. She recalls his sexy smile, the firm, hot grip of his hands, the sheen of sweat on his dark, smooth skin from his efforts to please her. Even before they ever touched each other with intimacy, he knew her heart better than any other. Now he knows her body better than she does. She can't deny it any more. She loves Jacob Black, and she'll give him everything she has if he still wants it, for as long as he'll have her.

She drifts off to sleep with a smile on her lips, thinking about her lover.

_When she opens the door to the little red house, she isn't frightened to find it empty. He is on his way back to her, and she will wait for him here. She enters his little bedroom and explores it by the light of the moon. She runs her fingers over the delicate wooden carvings on his shelf, as well as the well-worn tools that he used to carve them. She examines his books, noting which ones are most worn, which have broken spines, and is surprised to note that a couple are favorites of hers as well. On the bottom shelf she finds a box of pictures of his family, his pack, and his friends. Even Charlie is in the box. She is surprised to see that she isn't there. She opens his closet and finds a pile of clothes he could recently wear but has suddenly outgrown, as well as the biggest shoes she has ever seen. And in the back, there is an old shoebox marked with a simple "B". She brings it out and sits on his small bed, and lifts the cover._

_She smiles. It is full of his memories of her. The ticket stub to Face Punch, crinkled at the edges from being in his pocket. Her high school graduation program, still curled up from the way he held it in his fist as he cheered her on. A spare set of keys to her truck and their motorcycles that he so lovingly refurbished. Letters to him written in her childish handwriting; she had gone through a period when she was eight and he was six when she decided he would be her pen pal. She wonders if his letters back to her are still somewhere in her old house in Phoenix. He wrote to her for months after she stopped writing to him. Shells and pretty rocks gathered from their walks on First Beach, when he would trail after her and hold all the treasures she handed to him in a basket he created by holding out the hem of his shirt and forming a pocket to cradle her things. She would pick out one of her favorites each time and give it to him. He kept all of them. A picture she drew of the two of them when she was six and he was four, her little stick figure hand on top of his, giant smiles on both their faces. A tattered blue ribbon that she used to tie her hair, which she thought she had lost. A photograph of them taken from behind, sitting on their driftwood log leaning into each other, when she was seven and he was five. Another of both of them covered in mud and grinning madly. She can't tell their ages due to all the filth. The two of them on the end of a pier with fishing poles in hand from when she was seven and he was five. He is giggling with his wide grin as she tickles him with her free hand. One of him tickling her so that she is falling off the log they're sitting on, from perhaps a year later. A dim, poorly lit photograph that she never knew was taken, of them at a bonfire last year. He is brushing a lock of hair tenderly behind her ear and gazing at her with open adoration that she missed completely at the time. He even kept a pinecone that she threw at him once when he said that Quil told him all girls have cooties._

_How long has he known? She thought he had a little crush that turned into something more when she showed up in his driveway with two useless motorcycles. But if this box is any indication, he has held her in his heart for far longer._

_She carefully replaces the contents of the box and shuts the lid. She slides it back into place. Jacob may not come to her tonight, so instead she undresses and slips one of his t-shirts over her head so she can surround herself with his scent. She burrows under his covers, and drifts off to sleep to the echoes of wolves howling in her ears._

The next morning she finds that Charlie is already gone. She heads to work after eating a light breakfast of toast and fruit. She's nervous and she knows why. Between Jacob possibly coming home today and Leah's embarrassing plans for the afternoon, she is a mess of anticipation.

The day passes in a blur. She looks out the storefront windows so often that Mrs. Newton asks her if she is expecting anyone. She lies and says that she isn't, and Mrs. Newton states that she assumed Edward or Alice must be coming to take her to lunch. Then for several agonizing moments, Bella is distraught at having to cancel her wedding. She has no idea how to begin, and spends her lunch break in the employee break room trying not to hyperventilate. It also reminds her that she has to tell Charlie and Renee as soon as possible. Charlie, at least, will be relieved.

Around one o'clock she emerges from the back with boxes full of hiking boots that need to be shelved. She sets them in a pile next to her and kneels on the floor. She has just taken the older ones off the display when her left shoulder starts to tingle. Heat starts to spread in waves outward, originating from Jacob's nearly invisible mark. Time halts. She is afraid to turn around for fear that he won't be there.

Then she hears the bell on the front door jingle, and the Newtons' conversation drops into abrupt silence. The hole in her chest begins to close. Only one person has that effect on her. Slowly she stands. The temperature of the room rises.

Once standing, she is nearly frozen in place. She clenches her hands at her sides. If she turns around and he isn't there, she won't be able to hold back her tears. Her breath catches in her throat as she vibrates in place.

A shadow appears on the shelving beside her, growing taller and taller. The heat behind her is searing. She feels her hair being gently swept to the side, and the collar of her shirt shifts over. She hears the intake of a gasped breath close to her ear, and his hot hand is on her hip, the other on her right shoulder. She melts backward into him as his nose touches his mark in the sweetest of caresses. Electricity shoots down her spine, causing her to arch, and as he brushes his lips over the spot, he might as well be kissing her breasts, the sensation is so intimate and erotic. She hears herself gasp as she exposes her neck to him.

Her voice is a moan, a whimper. "Where have you been?" She feels his lips turn into a smile.

His voice is husky and low, just like it is in her dreams. "I'm right here."

And as he turns her in his arms, she feels tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

She can hardly believe it. She stares at his warm eyes, his blinding smile, the early beard growth on his chin. He has only been gone a matter of days, but he looks a little older. "You're here?"

She feels his strong arms wrap around her as he lifts her off her feet and draws her in. She is home in his embrace.

"I'm here." He murmurs into her hair as she winds her arms around his broad shoulders, tucking her face into the side of his neck. She breathes deeply of his musky, woodsy smell and closes her eyes. She would stay like that indefinitely, protected in his arms, but a cough from Mrs. Newton interrupts them. She flushes instantly and squirms a little in his arms. He chuckles into her hair, but doesn't loosen his grip. She whispers, "I'm still at work."

He whispers back, "I know."

"You should put me down," she whispers back.

He's laughing now. "Or you could wrap your legs around me, be my baby monkey, and I'll just carry you around like this all day. It'll be convenient. I can reach the stuff on the high shelves above you, and your feet will never ache."

She pulls back enough to look at him. "Your baby monkey?"

His eyes are glittering with both happiness and trepidation. "You remember? The night you nearly tickled me to death?"

She is relieved. He remembers everything as well as she does. She feels her lips widening into a broad smile. "I remember. I remember everything."

He grips her harder into a crushing hug. "Oh, thank god, Bells. Thank god. I was afraid..."

She whispers into his ear, "Don't be afraid, baby. I won't leave you, ever again."

He murmurs back to her, "Mmmm. I'm gonna hold you to that, Bells. Even if it means I just don't ever put you down."

She giggles. "Then I think you're going to get me fired." She glances over his shoulder and sees the Newtons still staring at them, matching expressions of shock on the faces of both mother and son. She looks down at his half-naked, filthy (and mouth-watering) form. A little louder, she says, "No shirt, no shoes, no service, Mr. Black."

He laughs and sets her gently on her feet. He kisses her gently on the forehead before she pushes him toward the back door. "I could probably use a shower. Wanna come home and join me?" He waggles his eyebrows at her.

She playfully smacks him on the arm as she guides him to the rear exit. "You move awfully fast, don't you think?"

He looks directly into her eyes with an impish grin. "I've been waiting for you for every single one of my years, Bells. I don't think that's fast at all."

She narrows her eyes at him in mock annoyance. "Then you can wait a little longer, can't you?" Leah must be rubbing off on her.

He pouts at her, looking for all the world like a little boy. "Don't wanna."

She laughs. "You're going to have to. I still have an hour left on my shift, and then Leah is kidnapping me. Go home and see your dad."

He rubs the back of his neck with his hand. "Yeah, I'd better do that. And see Sam, too."

"Good. I'll come by to see you after?"

He leans down for another tight hug. "You'd better. Or else I'll be forced to climb in through your window tonight." His voice drops to a growl. "And I don't think Charlie wants to hear what I'm gonna do to you."

"Mmm." Bella flushes with arousal at his words. "You have an open invitation for that anytime."

He grins at her lasciviously as he smells her response. He could take her right here against the alley wall if she would let him. "You shouldn't have said that, Bells. I'm going to take advantage."

Then his stomach growls, loud and long, and she steps back, laughing. She looks up at him suspiciously. "When was the last time you ate?"

He looks sheepish. "Real food? Um, Saturday? I didn't really stop to hunt on my way back. I needed to see you."

"Wow. I'm flattered. You wanted to see me more than you wanted to eat?"

She is grinning at him, but he turns serious, his voice dropping to the low bedroom tone that drives her wild. "I want you more than anything, Bells, always."

She starts moving toward him for a kiss, but they are interrupted by another loud growl of his stomach. They both start to giggle, and he holds his abdomen with both hands and tells her plaintively, "It's eating itself now."

"Wait here," she says, placing a finger on his chest. She gets distracted looking at his bare skin and toned muscles, and shakes herself and runs inside. If she lets herself, she will be manhandling his gorgeous body in the alley behind the store, and then she really will get fired. She grabs a box and runs back out to him.

His eyes light up as she hands him a crushed box of chocolate brownie power bars. "They came squished like this and we can't put them on the shelf this way, but they should still taste good, so here you are." He has swallowed one and opened a second by the time she finishes the sentence.

"Enk oo!" She laughs at his incoherent response.

"I'd better get back. I haven't clocked out yet."

He squeezes her in a brief hug and turns to go.

As she steps away, she realizes for the first time that not only does he look a little older (and even sexier) than when he left, he seems taller as well. She calls out, "Hey, Jake? Did you grow more?"

He nods and swallows his mouthful, grinning back at her. "Yeah. I should be done now. I hope. See you later?"

She nods. "Bet on it." She turns back inside and pauses in the doorway. What is she going to say to the Newtons?

When she re-emerges in the main room, Mike and his mother have their heads bent together and are whispering in low tones, but stop and straighten when they notice her return.

"Sorry about that; I made him go home and put some clothes on."

Given the opening, Mrs. Newton plunges right in and asks, "Why was he here without a shirt or shoes?" just as Mike questions, "Wasn't he in a bad motorcycle wreck?"

She is saved from trying to come up with a plausible lie by Leah walking in the front door. Leah jumps in, "We were playing flag football on the beach when I let on what happened with Bella. He dropped everything, like, literally dropped the ball in the sand, and rushed right over here. Didn't even stop to grab his clothes. And the bike was totaled, but he had a helmet and leathers on, so he's doing okay now."

Mike looks back at her in confusion, and Mrs. Newton is obviously trying to sneak a peek at her left hand, blocked by her hip. Bella is blushing, and is not ready to do this at all. So Leah does it for her, smirking. "She dumped Cullen last night and called off the wedding."

She breezes by Bella and casually picks a bottle of Gatorade out of the cooler and stands in front of the cash register to pay. As she waits for someone to stop staring long enough to ring her up, she asks Bella, "Still ready to go at 2:00?"

Bella nods silently, still unable to form a coherent sentence.

"I'll be waiting for you in the park, then." She tires of waiting for the Newtons, so she drops two dollars on the counter and leaves, not bothering to wait for her change.

Bella moves behind the counter to ring up Leah's purchase belatedly. She'll give her the change when her shift is over.

Mrs. Newton finds her voice first. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

She nods and blushes. "I will be." Now that Jacob is home she knows that it's true. And her future looks much brighter than it did when she was engaged to Edward Cullen.

Mike looks stunned. "You dumped Cullen?"

"Yeah." She has nothing else to tell Mike.

"But you're, you're..." They both know he's going to say something about how obsessed and infatuated she is with Edward, but his mother cuts him off.

"Well, dear, best you figured it out now. No need to settle down so early. Live a little first." She gives her a sidelong glance and adds, "And it looks like you've got someone to keep you from getting too lonely. But does Chief Swan know you're seeing an older man?"

Mike breaks in, "He's just a kid, mom! Bella's not interested in him. He's like fifteen!"

Bella turns bright red and can't think of a response, other than to correct Jacob's age. But before she can, Mike's mother protests, "Don't be ridiculous. That man was well into his twenties. Fifteen year olds don't look like that!" She turns back to Bella to pass on some motherly advice. Charlie Swan has his work cut out for him. "Don't let his looks distract you, dear. Older men who are interested in young girls are trouble." Under her breath Bella thinks she says, "Even if it's completely worth it."

Mike protests, "Mom, ew! What's wrong with everyone? He's a child!"

Bella clears her throat. "Jacob is my best friend, Mrs. Newton. I've known him his whole life. Charlie loves him. He's sixteen."

Mike is indignant. "See? He's just a kid. Bella's not involved with him. She was engaged to Cullen until what, yesterday?"

Bella sidesteps the question and says, "Jacob's big for his age," and then she coughs and blushes harder when she realizes her own double entendre.

"He's sixteen?" Mrs. Newton looks doubtful as Bella goes to hide in the stockroom until the end of her shift.

When she skips out the door, Mike is whispering on his cell phone. If Jessica Stanley is on the other end of the line, the entire town will know about her breakup by nightfall. She wonders what the gossip will be about Jacob.

She almost wonders if she is imagining it, but Jacob looks a bit different. Maybe it's just the three days of stubble, but she thinks his jawline is a bit more defined and cheekbones a little more prominent. What little baby fat was left on his face is gone. As Mrs. Newton noted, Jacob is all man. Her man. Her very sexy man.

She is grinning unconsciously when she finds Leah in the park down the street. Leah quirks an eyebrow at her. "Good day?"

"Yeah." She shuffles her feet. She hands over Leah's change.

"Hoping it's gonna get even better before the night is over?"

Bella turns red again and turns toward her truck. "Leah!"

"I give you guys, oh, twelve hours until you jump each other. Twenty four on the outside."

Bella protests again, "Leah!"

"If you embarrass this easily, Swan, you'd better watch yourself around the rest of the pack. You're gonna have your hands full with Quil. And how are you planning on asking the doctor for birth control? Smoke signals? Dirty charades?"

"They're not going to ask for details, are they? Can't I just ask for birth control?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

"Well, I can't very well tell the truth, can I?"

"I'd love to hear that. 'Well, doc, I've been having hot monkey sex with my enormous werewolf boyfriend, but only while unconscious. So technically I'm a virgin with unrealistic expectations about a man's size and stamina. Can I have my pelvic exam now?' "

"Oh no. Are they going to do an exam?" Bella is horrified.

As they climb into Bella's truck, Leah asks, "Didn't your mom have the talk with you before you came up here, Swan? Or was she trying to give poor Charlie a heart attack by making him do it?"

"She told me not to do anything she wouldn't do, and then she laughed and wondered aloud what she wouldn't do. Then she handed me a box of expired condoms, which I didn't actually bring with me."

Leah snorts and says, "I'll bet you anything that she'd be happy to do Jacob."

"I think she has a little crush on Edward."

Leah shudders. "It's bad enough that your mom has a crush on your boyfriend, worse yet that she has a crush on your boyfriend that she thinks is jailbait who's actually a monster who's older than both your ages combined times two. Maybe you got your screwed up taste in men from her."

Bella really doesn't want to be thinking about any of this right now.

Leah asks, "Have you told her yet?"

Bella closes her eyes. "I haven't told anybody. Alice clearly saw it coming, and now that the Newtons know it'll probably spread like wildfire."

Leah looks at her pointedly. "You at least have to tell your dad."

"I know, I just don't know what to say."

"Does he want you to marry Edward?"

"Oh no, not at all."

"Does he like Jacob?"

"Yeah, he thinks of Jacob as the son he never had."

"So what's the problem?"

"It's just... I've been so awful to Charlie."

Leah states in a matter of fact tone, "So quit being so awful."

"Just like that?" Bella is skeptical.

"Just like that. He doesn't want an apology, Bella, he's not a chick. He wants his daughter to be happy, healthy, not pregnant, and not to scare him too much."

"When'd you get so wise, Leah?"

The answer remains unspoken, but they both know it. Leah got wise the night that Harry Clearwater died.

Leah clear her throat. "You don't have to spill any big secrets. Just tell Charlie that you figured out Edward's no good for you and called it off before things went too far. He'll be so happy he won't care whether you explain any further."

Leah is right. Charlie is too respectful of her privacy, or too uncomfortable asking about her private life, to pry. "And what about my mom? She loves Edward."

"Unless your mom is a total nutcase, which she in fact may be, she can't be genuinely happy you're getting hitched at eighteen. She'll think you're not pregnant anymore and don't need to get married."

Bella buries her face in her hands. "I don't want anyone thinking that. Especially not my mom."

Leah shrugs. "Too late for most of the general populace of Forks, unless you feel like outing all the bloodsuckers for the monsters that they are." She pauses. "Which I would love to see, by the way, but would absolutely get you killed, so just file that one away as Plan B."

"What's Plan A?"

"Accept that your reputation is forever tarnished, tell your parents as much of the truth as you can (which, admittedly isn't very much), and fuck whomever else thinks anything less of you. If you're feeling bad about it, I'm pretty sure Jacob could find a way to cheer you up." She smirks and pauses. "Which, I guess, is exactly why we're here."

They pull into the women's clinic. Leah finds a Redbook magazine at the bottom of a stack of well-worn reading material that is as old as Jacob, and holds it up for Bella to see. "I hope the doctors are more up to date than their magazines, Swan, or else you could end up with some primitive method of birth control. Wasn't there a Seinfeld episode about Elaine running out of sponges? I still haven't figured out what that is, but I'm pretty sure I don't want to know."

Bella isn't as nervous as she was when she was on her way to break up with Edward, but Leah can't tell by looking at her. Her knee is bouncing rapidly, and she keeps shifting in her seat.

"Calm down, for goodness' sake, Swan. You date monsters. You can face down one measly little gynecologist. Just be glad Dr. Fang doesn't work here. Wouldn't that be a trip!"

Soon a short woman in yellow scrubs calls out Bella's name from the previously closed door to the waiting room. Bella freezes until Leah bodily pushes her out of her chair and says rather loudly, "I'm not holding your hand during your pelvic exam, Swan. Get in there. The sooner you get this over with, the sooner you can go make your boyfriend a very happy man."

It causes Bella to run away from Leah into the safer confines of the doctor's office. The medical assistant is chuckling. "Your friend dragged you here today, I take it?"

Bella nods, her face beet red.

"It's okay, dear. We all have a girlfriend like that. We all need a girlfriend like that."

Half an hour later, Bella emerges back into the waiting room feeling much, much calmer, and holding a little paper bag.

Leah stands and meets her at the exit, and they head out to the truck.

Without warning, Leah takes the bag from her and peeks inside. She bypasses the little pack of pills and pulls out a condom in its wrapper. "This just won't do."

"What do you mean? The clinic isn't going to give away defective condoms, Leah."

Leah huffs and rolls her eyes. She rips open the package and unrolls it, dangling it in front of Bella's face. "I haven't seen Jacob all, you know, raring and ready to go, but I have seen him naked before. Does this look big enough to you, Swan?"

As Bella shakes her head from side to side, she sees an older woman looking at them quizzically through the windshield, and busts into laughter. Leah follows her line of sight and snickers. "Okay, I swear to God, I had no idea she was there. I swear!" Bella laughs harder and smacks her in the arm. "I swear!"

Once they both calm down, Leah tells Bella to go back into the clinic and exchange the condoms. "Either you can do it yourself, or I can go in there and announce to the entire waiting room that your boyfriend has a giant dick. Your choice."

Bella returns to the truck with a red face and a new bag. Leah smirks at her but says nothing.

A few minutes later, as Bella is taking a drink from her water bottle, Leah pipes up, "So, did the gynecologist pop your cherry?"

Bella chokes on her water and sputters, "Leah! No!"

"Really? No cold metal thing, huh?"

"No, she just asked me questions and had me pee in a cup, and gave me this." She shakes the paper bag. "What cold metal thing?"

"You know, the thing they use to look inside you. The metal duck-bill looking thing they stick inside you so they can take samples and make you wish you were born with a Y chromosome."

Bella looks at her blankly, so Leah gives her a more accurate and less frightening explanation.

Bella is still appalled. Leah retorts, "Oh, you pansy, you were basically gonna marry one of those things up until yesterday, anyway. How was the sex gonna work, anyhow? I mean, a pelvic exam isn't actually that bad, but it sure isn't a turn on, that's for sure. I can't imagine voluntarily agreeing to a guy with a freezing cold dick for all of eternity."

"Well, when I agreed to marry him, I didn't exactly have anything to compare him to," Bella tries to defend herself.

"But you should have common sense! Have you ever looked at a popsicle and had the urge to shove it on up there?" Bella is laughing too hard to respond. "No? I didn't think so. A vampire's dick can't feel much better, even if it's attached to a pretty face!"

Leah sobers a bit. "He's not going to leave you alone, Bella. He showed up last night accusing Jake of using black magic on you to make the mark. He thinks we did something bad to you to steal you away from him. He nearly started a war."

"But is everyone okay?" Now Bella is worried.

"Yeah, sure. Jake will fill you in, just ask him. It's actually a really good story."

Eventually, they arrive at Bella's house. Bella offers to make Leah dinner, but she begs off, claiming her mother prepared a feast for Jake and that there are plenty of goodies awaiting her at home.

Bella finds that Charlie isn't home yet, so prepares a quick dinner and tries to figure out what to tell him. She itches to drive to LaPush. Now that he's back in town, she can't wait any longer to see Jacob.

X-x-x-x-X

After leaving Newton's, it only takes Jacob minutes to get home. He probably should have gone straight there, but the urge to see Bella was too strong. Marking her wasn't the same as imprinting, he knows that, but nonetheless it bound his wolf to her. He is actually relieved he didn't imprint on her. Loving Bella Swan is a conscious decision on his part. He chooses to love her just as he always has, and his wolf has chosen to love her too. Best of all, she has chosen to love him back. He can hardly contain his glee.

He senses a subtle shift in himself when he crosses the treaty line. There is a small, but very real, sense of relief. It smells like home. And as he approaches his little red house, a different set of wonderful aromas hits his nose. He barely gets his shorts on before he yanks the front door open and runs into the kitchen, nearly barreling Billy over in his wheelchair with a tight hug. In his enthusiasm to greet his father, he is much more the little boy than the man.

Billy pulls back to look at him. He slyly notes, "You're filthy. And you grew a bit more, didn't you son?"

Jacob drops his gaze to the floor and rubs the back of his neck with his right hand. "Yeah. About that. I think I'm an Alpha now."

Billy grins, "You always were, son. You always were."

It's then that Jacob spots the feast on his kitchen table. The entire surface is packed with food of all varieties. He tilts his head. His father is a passable cook, as is he, but the spread in front of him rivals Christmas dinner. "What's all this?"

"You tell me, son. Sue and Seth Clearwater showed up about an hour ago with all this stuff. Said that Leah told her that Jacob would be home soon, and when he was, he'd be hungry. Sue said she wasn't supposed to tell us, but Leah made some of this herself."

"Wow." Jacob is deeply touched. Who knew Leah Clearwater was so damn... nice? And apparently a good cook, to boot. He thinks to himself, not for the first time, that Sam Uley is an idiot. He digs in heartily as he updates Billy.

He starts with the simpler matter of the vampires he has killed, and explains his theory that the rogue is somehow projecting images of other vampires to throw him off. His father grows more excited when he tells him of how he managed to take down two vampires at once while talking to Edward Cullen through Leah's mind. He can see Billy figuring out how to spin the events into a story he can tell around the bonfire.

Eventually he can't avoid it any longer, and he explains in as brief and general terms as possible that he has marked Bella Swan in his dream, and that the mark appeared on her skin. If anyone can explain to him what's going on, it is his father.

"So that's what Sue was referring to. She came over with an odd question the other day, but I couldn't figure out what she was talking about. You're sure it's really there?"

"I saw it myself. Just before I came home, I went to see her. It's definitely there, and it's definitely mine."

Billy leans back in his chair and takes a deep breath. "Well, I can't say I saw this coming." At Jacob's frown, he clarifies, "I always knew you and she would be good together. Were good together. But let's face it; it wasn't clear that _she_ knew how good you'd be together. Anyway, I'm glad she came to her senses. For your sake and for Charlie's."

He looks up at the ceiling. "As for marking a woman who isn't your imprint, it's not common, but there is precedent. Non-imprinted wolves have been known to mark their wives. We don't know much about it, though."

He pauses for a drink of tea. "As for the most important part, that it happened in your dream, well, that specifically I have never heard of. The closest thing I can think of is that there are a couple stories of spirit warriors going on on vision quests and returning with scars."

"Scars?"

"Scars from battles they fought in the spirit world, but whose injuries they retained in the waking world."

"So you think we met in the spirit world?"

Billy shakes his head. "I really don't know, son. I really don't know." He then notices that Jacob is starting to slump low in his chair. "Now that your stomach's full, when was the last time you slept?"

Jacob heaves a huge yawn. "Days."

Billy tugs him up and shoves him toward the bathroom. "Take a shower and go to bed, son."

"I have to go talk to Sam, though," Jacob protests.

"Not right now, you don't. Whatever it is can wait. Get some sleep."

"But the two packs..."

Billy interrupts him. "I'm pulling rank on you, son. You may be nearly seven feet tall and an Alpha now, but you're also an exhausted sixteen year old boy, and I'm your father. Go to bed. Your Alpha orders don't work on me. Besides, you won't regret it."

Jacob nods, relieved at having the decision made for him, and turns on the hot spray of his shower as he brushes his teeth thoroughly. He is, for the first and only time, glad that he managed not to kiss Bella on the mouth today. The last thing he had in there was disgusting vampire parts. He takes a little longer than necessary to wash the layers of dirt from his body, relishing the hot pulse on his skin, and then stumbles into his room, not bothering to change out of his towel and into regular clothes before dropping onto his bed. He is asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow.

Eight hours later he wakes up to the feeling of a warm, soft body tucked under his arm. He listens to his father snoring in the next room and knows that for once, this isn't a dream. This is actually happening. She is alive, she is in his bed, and she is there for him and only him. It's like Christmas and his birthday and winning the lottery all wrapped into one.

He slides his arm out from underneath her head, just far enough that he can roll over and lean over her. He slides his fingers through her hair and watches her chest rise and fall. He leans down close so he can inhale the air escaping from her lungs as she breathes. He listens to her steady heartbeat. He lowers his head to hers, and he tastes her lips gently, sensually, until he feels one of her arms wrap around his back, and the other winding through his own hair. He deeps the kiss until she whimpers beneath him.

He smiles and whispers against her lips, "Where have you been?"

He feels her giggling more than he hears it. "I'm right here."

He leans down to nip her lips gently with his teeth. "You're here?"

She gasps and laughs. "I'm here."


	21. Chapter 21

Rating: MA for lemons

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Tuesday Night

X-x-x-x-X

He smiles and whispers against her lips, "Where have you been?"

He feels her giggling more than he hears it. "I'm right here."

He leans down to nip her lips gently with his teeth. "You're here?"

She gasps and laughs. "I'm here."

And then she draws him down for another deep kiss. His lips are warm and soft on hers, and she can't believe how close she came to walking away from him.

By the time they part several minutes later, she is panting, and he is hot and hard and ready. He holds himself stiffly above her. The wolf wants to take her, rip off her clothes, and slam his cock deep inside her, right fucking now.

The man knows that no matter what happened in their dreams, no matter how intimately he recalls her body, despite his knowledge of the best ways to make her moan or beg or come shaking around him, this is actually their first time. And it's going to hurt her.

So when she starts to squirm with need beneath him, wanting her clothes off and him as close as possible, he gently but firmly holds her still.

"I want you too, baby." He murmurs in her ear. He licks the sensitive spot behind it, making her moan, a deep throaty sound that his wolf wants to hear again.

"Not here though, sweetheart." He drops kisses along her jaw and down her neck, and she whimpers quietly. He presses his lips firmly to her pulse point, relishing the simple fact that she is still alive.

"I want to hear every sexy sound you make, baby, and I don't want you to hold back." He returns to her lips and traces them with his tongue.

"But I also don't want to give Billy a heart attack." He smiles when he feels her giggling beneath him.

"I know it's not fancy, but why don't we go out to the garage? We don't have to do anything you're not ready for, honey, but we can have some privacy."

He feels her nod as he turns her head to the other side to access the other side of her neck.

"And we don't have to do anything you're not completely comfortable with, baby." He licks her clavicle, and she shivers in response. "But I really, really hope that you'll let me make you come."

She flushes with want and bites her lower lip. His wolf can sense the blood rushing to her skin, can smell the heady scent of her arousal filling the air, and he can't keep himself from grinding against her center until they both moan.

He yanks himself up and off her before he completely loses control, and tugs her to her feet. He doesn't let go of her hand. He is so used to finding her suddenly gone, that he has an irrational fear of her disappearing at any moment. He grabs a pair of shorts from his dresser and a couple blankets from the closet. She teases, "Jake, I think you're confused about what's about to happen. We don't need more clothes, we need less."

"Come on. As much as I'd love to go in there, strip you naked, and never come out, I think we'll have to. And other people seem to mind when I wander around naked outside. Don't know why."

She looks him up and down an appraising manner and shrugs. "Hmm. Me neither." He flashes his sunny grin at her. It makes her feel that all is right in the world, and she grins right back at him.

He tugs her out the door, and they make their way to the garage. When they get inside the entrance, she stops him. "You know how you said it wasn't fancy?" He nods. "You're right. It's just perfect." And it is. It's not the overpriced, overwrought, over-the-top sort of place Edward would have picked out for their first time. It is the place she fell in love with him without even knowing it. It smells of motor oil and old upholstery and Jacob himself. It is home and comfort and friendship and love.

He picks her up and spins her around, crushing her in the hug that melts her into pure happiness. She realizes as she presses her face into his neck that she hasn't told him yet. Not without tears, anyway, and never before in kindness. Not even in their dreams. She separates just enough that she can whisper against his skin, "I love you, Jacob Black. I'm in love with you. I choose you for as long as you'll have me, and I'll try to make you as happy as you make me."

She feels something damp slide against her cheek and realizes that he is crying. She would pull back to look him in the eye, reassure him that she is really here and kiss the tears from his face, but he is holding her too close. He chokes out, "Love you more," and walks them backward until she is straddling him on loveseat.

Now she really can pull back to look him in the eye. She brushes a happy tear from his cheek with her thumb and murmurs, "Not anymore, Jake. Not anymore."

Jacob's Alpha wolf has been turned into a puppy by Bella's words. He buries the fingers of one hand in her hair, wraps the other around her slender waist, and pulls her in for the gentlest, sweetest kiss she has ever experienced. She isn't sure if it lasts seconds or minutes or hours, but it changes when the hand in her hair slips down and brushes lightly over his mark on her left shoulder.

She arches her back, pressing her breasts into his chest, and moans with pleasure. Suddenly she wants his tongue massaging the spot as he drives into her from behind.

"Jake, it's so sensitive. It feels so good when you touch me there." Her voice trembles with need.

"Then give me better access to it," he states as he tugs up the hem of her shirt. She whips it over her head and it lands on his toolbox.

He freezes, shaking with the effort to hold still. She looks at him with startled eyes. He isn't gazing at her with lust, but is barely holding his anger in check. His eyes are darting between her upper arms, now bare. And she remembers the hand shaped bruises Edward left behind.

Jacob won't phase while she is sitting right on top of him, so she resolves not to move.

"I'll kill him," he growls, "I'll rip him limb from limb, put him back together, and rip him apart again." He has never been so angry in his entire life. Not when faced by a murderous leech, nor when he overheard that his Bells was engaged to her monster. His whole body vibrates with the effort not to phase.

Carefully, slowly Bella runs her fingers up and down his arms, trying to calm him down. "Baby, Jake, I'm fine. I'm alive. You saved me already. It's done."

She places her fingers under his chin and tips him up to look her in the eye. "I'm right here," she murmurs, and kisses him lightly on the lips. His shaking subsides just a little. "I'm here." She kisses the tip of his nose. "I'm here." She brushes her lips over his cheekbones. "I'm here." She kisses his jawline. "I'm here." She moves down to kiss up and down the column of his throat, and the shaking has stopped, replaced with hitching breaths. He has lowered his hands to her buttocks and is holding her firmly against his stiff shaft.

She jokes, "I'm here, half naked, sitting here," she presses against him for emphasis, "and you're thinking about Edward."

He huffs out a laugh into her hair and relaxes. "Okay, you win. I won't kill him tonight. We've got better things to do." His voice lowers to the husky tone she loves. "Like making you feel good." He tips his pelvis up and draws her down against him to illustrate his point.

He pulls her in for another passionate kiss. Now that she is letting him kiss her, actually wants him to kiss her, he can't get enough. And as it turns heated, she expects him to unclasp her bra and move to her breasts. Instead he moves to the side and touches his lips to each bruise, lightly, transforming the slight ache into a pleasant tingle. Somehow, his gentle treatment makes her more nervous, not less.

He brushes the hair away from her face, delicately tracing lines from her cheeks down her neck. "I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you, Bells. Not anymore."

She smiles at him. "Would it help if I stop running toward danger? If I stop befriending creatures who want to eat me?"

He grins his sunny smile at her and shifts his hands to trace up and down her sensitive flanks, causing her to squirm against his hard length.

"Mmm. Keep doing that. Feels good. And yes, quit trying to make friends with things that want to eat you." He pulls one bra strap aside and kisses her newly exposed shoulder. "Or were you planning a hunt for Sasquatch sometime soon?"

She giggles as he kisses his way down her arm. "I don't think he's known for eating teenaged girls, so he holds no fascination for me."

He kisses each one of her fingertips. "Maybe you should go find a mama grizzly bear and poke her cubs. That will give me a challenge." He pauses. "Actually, it probably wouldn't."

"No, I'm holding out for a handsome zombie to sweep me off my feet."

He switches to her other shoulder and lowers the other strap. "One of the old fashioned, slow moving ones from the original black and white movies, or the new generation of fast zombies that can run and have a remnant of memory from their previous life?"

She stares at his thick hair tickling her skin. She wants to run her fingers through it, so she does, and he hums a pleased response. "Oh, definitely a fast zombie. I have to give you something to work with. It'll probably take at least a few of them to make it an interesting fight for you. I'll have to gather a harem of sexy male zombies."

He has made his way down to her other hand and is kissing her palm. "Just make sure their, um, most vital parts haven't fallen off yet. Otherwise they won't be much fun for you."

She snickers and groans as he swirls his tongue over her index finger. "Nuh uh, Jake, I only want your vital part."

She sits back enough to see the head of his weeping cock sticking out of the top of his shorts. "I'll have to put together a few normal ones to equal your one. You need different pants. You don't fit in those."

He pulls her back to settle her on top on him. "Like high-waisted old man pants?"

She grinds down on him and they groan again. "I'll get you golf pants. Plaid ones. You'll look great."

He runs his hands up and down along her spine, sending shivers along her body. "Speaking of old men, how are you here right now? Where does Charlie think you are? Not that I'm complaining."

She bends down to kiss along his sensitive clavicle. "I told him I broke up with Edward. He was worried about me, and I asked him if I could come see you. He said you would be able to make me feel better, and I could stay over as long as Billy said okay." Jacob moves to press kisses above the cups of her bra, and she sighs. "I'm supposed to be on the couch, obviously. I snuck into your room after Billy fell asleep."

"Guess Charlie didn't guess what we'd be doing, huh? He probably wouldn't like me so much if he knew." He runs his fingers along the clasp of her bra and nuzzles the tops of her breasts.

"Probably, but he's been rooting for you for ages now. I think he and Billy want to share grandkids." She arches and presses her breasts against his chest. "But not quite yet. Why are we talking about our dads right now?"

He chuckles and leans back so he can see her fully. "Because I'm stalling?"

She smiles. "How come?"

"Because I've been waiting for you, for this with you, ever since I knew what this was. I guess I'm a little nervous."

She wraps her arms around his neck and hugs him close. "Oh, Jacob. Me too."

"And more than that," he talks into her hair and his voice drops low. "I'm trying to keep the wolf calm. He wants you. He thinks you're his, and he isn't patient. He wants another night like the last one, but I'm afraid of hurting you. I won't hurt you, baby, but if I don't keep the wolf in check, I could go too fast, go too far."

"Oh Jacob, there is no such thing. I am yours, and I want whatever you have to give."

He groans. "Don't say that, honey, 'cause it makes it so much harder to control myself. My body knows yours, baby, and I want to be in you so bad. But your body isn't ready for it. It's not ready for me to lose control."

"So get me ready." Her eyes are blazing.

He looks her up and down, and his gaze leaves heat in its wake. He swallows hard. "Are you sure, honey?"

She takes a shaky breath and inclines her head. She is sure, finally, of him, of herself, of what he offers and what she wants. She is done being afraid. She nods and looks him straight on, and he sees the conviction in her eyes. He knows her better than anyone, better than she knows herself, so when he sees the shift in her, he smiles a pure, happy smile of relief and bliss, and the kiss he gives her is full of his wonder and joy.

"I'm yours, and I'm sure," she murmurs when they come up for air. He isn't nervous anymore.

So he reaches around to unclasp her simple black bra, and sits back to look at her fully as he pulls the garment off her. His eyes flit between her face and her breasts, and he measures her reaction as he traces the undersides of her breasts lightly with his fingers. She shivers.

He speaks in the husky tone that she loves. "You're perfect. Exactly as I remember." He runs his knuckles over the sides of her breasts. "So soft," he murmurs, before moving up to trace her clavicles. "And I remember that you're sensitive here." He's right. The sensation of his touch is lovely and light. He brushes her hair back from her shoulders and runs his lips up her neck. His breath on her skin causes tingles in its wake. He loves the sensation of her soft, full breasts against his chest, with no fabric between them. Her nipples tighten when they brush against his heat.

He grins when he feels it, and reaches up to roll them between his fingers. He knows she likes it a little rough, so he isn't gentle. She responds with a rush of arousal and a deep, throaty moan. It drives his wolf wild.

"Do you like that, baby?"

"Mmm, yeah Jake, more." She squirms. He pinches and pulls them a little harder until she gasps. "Ooh. Mmm, like that." He pulls her up so he can taste them, and draws the right one into his mouth and suckles deeply, while he keeps rolling the other. Her core pulses in response.

"You taste so good." And she does. He wants more of her essence in his mouth, and can hardly wait to rip off her pants and drive his tongue deep inside her. But first he has to give her other breast equal treatment.

"I love your mouth on me, Jake. I want more."

So he uses his teeth, gently brushing them against her nipple as he rapidly flicks his tongue against the tip. The sensation echoes in her clitoris, and she presses down against him. She wants him to mark her there as well, but is too nervous to ask.

Instead, she runs her nails across his shoulders. She knows she isn't capable of hurting him, so she uses pressure, and he growls against her, pulling her back down and pumping his hips against her. His wolf wants her to mark him just as he marked her, and relishes the pleasurable sting. She can feel the slide of the head of his cock, slick against her stomach, interrupted by the waistband of his shorts.

"We have too many clothes on," she whispers.

"Help me fix that." He hates to pull her away from his body, but he loves the end result. He and his wolf are eager to feel her skin on his. He scoots to the edge of the seat and pushes her to stand. She expects him to tug her jeans off, but instead he runs his nose tenderly against the planes of her bare abdomen and flutters his long eyelashes against her skin. The way he flips from aggressive lust to sweet, tender love, and back again has her on edge in the best possible way.

His breath is hot against her skin. "I can smell you, baby, and it makes the wolf crazy. It makes me crazy. I need you on my tongue."

"Yes, Jacob, please," she is embarrassed by how desperate she sounds. He loves it. He loves how much she wants him, that she needs him as much as he needs her. He tells her so as he unbuttons her jeans and pulls them off her legs, taking her black bikini underwear along, leaving her standing bare before him.

She reaches for him, but he stops her with his hands on her hips. "Let me look at you." His expression is deadly serious. "I've seen you a million times in my dreams, Bells, even before you really joined me there. But this is the first time. Our first real time." His voice drops so low she can hardly hear him. "I want to remember this. I want to remember you. You're everything I always wanted." He wraps his arms around her waist and holds her tight to him, his cheek buried in the warmth of her skin.

Then suddenly, he flips her so she is seated on the seat and he is kneeling between her parted knees. "I'm gonna make sure you don't regret this. I'm gonna dedicate my life to pleasing you. To making you happy." His voice turns into a growl from deep within his chest. "And I'm gonna start by pleasing your body, by making you come. C'mere."

And then he tugs her so she is right on the edge of the seat, and goes straight for her clitoris with his hot, talented tongue. Immediately he starts swirling in tight, swift circles. Her arousal shoots up in response. She grabs his hair just how he likes it to keep him against her. It's not necessary; he's not going to tease her tonight. He wants, very badly, to make her come. But he loves it anyway.

Her back is arched against the back of the seat, her head thrown back exposing her long neck. His tongue on her is perfection. She involuntarily wiggles her hips against him, and in the back of her brain she wonders if any of the wolves are nearby to hear her moan. It feels so damn good, she could care less. She climbs higher.

He moves down to dip his tongue into her. Her flavor is the strongest here, and the wolf and the man need to drink as much of her as possible. God. She's so tight. He can feel it before he even gets a single finger in her. And so sensitive. He loves how responsive she is to his touch. It makes him feel like a god.

He switches to a rapid flicking of her swollen nub, back and forth, much like he did to her nipples earlier. He looks up at her, and she is biting her bottom lip again. He smiles against her. The involuntary habit is one of his favorites. She does it in so many otherwise innocent moments, when she's nervous, or thoughtful, or just distracted. He always thought it was sexy. And now that he has seen her do it so many times as he makes love to her, he knows he is going to get hard each and every time she does it, no matter what the situation. He's going to have to start wearing long, loose shirts everywhere to hide it.

She's getting close. She feels herself riding right on the edge, and he can feel it too. Her body is humming. He wants to hold her there for as long as possible, because the sensation is perfection. The need, the want, the anticipation, are almost as good as the explosion itself. Almost, but not quite. So he slows the movement of his tongue, just a little, to hold her in that perfect place, before he draws her into his mouth and suckles.

She comes apart. Her body arches in waves. A sheen of sweat glistens on her skin. She wails his name, keening and long. He holds his tongue firmly against her as long as possible, and as she starts to return to earth, he laps gently at her, sending aftershocks of pleasure arcing through her body. He relishes her vibrations against his tongue, and drinks greedily of her taste. The man is pleased. The wolf is pleased.

When she comes together enough to look down and meet his gaze, he crawls up the length of her body, hovering over her, and lowers his lips to hers. She tastes herself on his lips, and kisses him more deeply. She sucks his tongue between her lips, then sighs against him. "How'd you get so good at that?"

He smiles against her. "I told you. I've been dreaming of you for years. Even before the ones where you joined me. In my dreams, I've practiced a thousand times."

She giggles. "Jake, you're only sixteen. For how many years could you have been dreaming of that?"

He grins back at her. "Well, for all of puberty. And before then, I may not have been dreaming of that, exactly, but I was still dreaming of you." He kisses her sweetly until she is ready for more, and then he lowers himself between her legs again.

"Where are you going, Jake? I want all of you." She pouts adorably, and he has to hold his wolf down inside him.

"You're still not ready, baby. I want you, too. Believe me, I do. But you're so fucking tight. I can't stand that I could hurt you." He kisses pathways up and down her inner thighs.

She is looking down at him with wide eyes. "Tight is good, isn't it?"

Her words are dirty and innocent all at once, and the wolf tries to rise to the surface. He shudders in the attempt to hold himself back. "You're gonna feel so damn good on my cock. So tight, and so hot, and so goddamn wet." His voice breaks, and he slides a finger along her swollen lips to illustrate the latter point. She presses down harder against his hand, trying to maneuver him inside. "I promise, I'm gonna, I will." He kisses her clitoris gently and she arches. "But you have to let me go slow right now. Okay?"

"Mmmph," she whines, and crosses her arms. It has the unintended effect of pressing her breasts together and upward, and he freezes and stares at her hungrily.

"Do you trust me, honey?" He looks up at her expectantly, and she can't resist him. She relaxes into the seat and nods, and cups his cheek in her hand. He closes his eyes unexpectedly, sighs in contentment, and tilts his head further into her hand. "I love you, Isabella Swan," he breathes.

Then he sucks the large third finger of his right hand into his mouth to moisten it, and opens his smoldering eyes to look directly into hers, and slides his finger deep into her body. "Ohhhh..." Her head falls back and her eyes slip shut, and he curls his finger into the spot low in the front of her core that makes her melt. He grips her hip with his other hand. He doesn't pump at all, he just strokes his finger against her while she squirms and bucks on his hand.

She hitches out, "Mmm... It makes me... mmm... crazy... ahhh... when you do that...How did you know...mmm... that's there...ahhh... Jake?"

He smirks in satisfaction. He loves that she's learning to talk to him when they make love. "I just watched you, baby." He swallows hard. "The first few times I touched you, do you remember? I didn't know what I was doing. I was just experimenting, and paying attention to what you like. That's why I kept torturing you, sweetheart, those times I wouldn't let you come right away."

She can't speak in sentences anymore, but she thinks to herself that she's very, very lucky. Jacob has always known her so well, has always paid attention to her wants and her needs. He knows her heart, he knows her mind, he knows her body better than she does.

Eventually it's both too much and not enough, so he kneels up for leverage and starts to pump deeply, alternating between strokes of her inner wall and deeper, harder thrusts. When he is certain that she's ready, that the stretch won't be painful, he adds a second finger and she whimpers aloud, gripping at the arms of the seat. "Do you like that? Do you like it when I fuck you with my hand?"

"Ohhh, Jacob, yessss... Keep talking to me... Mmmm..." She squirms and twists around him. His voice drives her wild. Everything he does to her drives her wild. He starts thrusting deep on every entry, and curling his fingers on the way out. It puts her right on the edge. He repeats the motion over and over, relishing the soft feel of her body and the heady scent of her arousal.

"Does it feel good, honey?" His voice is low.

"Yeahhh..."

He keeps stroking and thrusting. "I want my cock inside you, as soon as you're ready."

"Ahhhh..."

"Are you ready to come again?" he groans.

"Mmmmm, please. Mmmm, Jacob, please." She's shaking, and he loves what he's doing to her. What he alone is doing to her. What only he will ever do to her.

So he starts to stroke the tips of his fingers against her cervix with each thrust in, then dragging his curled fingers on every pull out, harder and firmer each time, as she climbs higher and higher. Finally, when she's desperate, he reaches his left hand up to pinch her nipple, and she spasms around him with a wordless cry.

He can barely contain the wolf now, he wants to bury his cock in her so badly as she's contracting against his hand.

Instead he locks down on his control. When she starts coming down from her high, he stills his fingers inside her, but lowers his lips back to her clitoris, and sucks it between his soft lips. He licks the tip rapidly, so instead of calming down she starts bucking wildly beneath him, and he tries to hold her still with his hand inside her. Now she is wailing nonsense words, pleas and cursing, begging him to take her with his cock. His wolf howls to be released.

He separates long enough to say, "Almost there. Almost there." And he squeezes a third finger inside her. The burn is exquisite. She remembers being stretched this much and more in her dreams, remembers the hot thickness of his cock inside her, but her body has never actually taken him before. As she's begging him to fuck her, she is simultaneously grateful that he is taking the time to prepare her. And it's so, so good.

He holds his three fingers still inside her body as he switches to lazy circles around her clitoris, and she pants and moans and begs him more. He wants to prolong it. The more she wants it, the harder she comes now, the better it will be for her when he finally slips his cock inside her. So he holds down the wolf inside him, and he keeps the movements of his tongue slow and gentle, and for a while keeps his fingers still. He loves hearing her call for him. He wants her words almost as much as he wants her body. When she starts to cross the line from pleasure to frustration, he gives in and starts to pump his hand. He increases the pressure and the depth with each stroke, and she whimpers happily. He stops circling her clitoris long enough to speak, "Talk to me. Tell me what you want." Then he waits for her to comply.

"Jake?" Her voice is a breathy moan.

"Yes, honey?"

"Please don't stop."

He grins. "Don't stop what?"

She whimpers again. "Mmm, your tongue, unh..." as he continues to pump, "Jake, unhh... your tongue."

He licks gently as he keeps pumping, but not on her clitoris. Just to the right, just to the left, not where she needs it. "Like this?"

She whines, "Jacob, more, mmmm."

"More what?" as he keeps lapping at her lips.

"You're... unh... torturing me...unh..."

He grins. "Yeah, baby. I am. And you love it."

She laughs and pouts and groans all at once. "I do, Jake... but please... please... your tongue..."

He laps at her lips again, and they tingle. "Where? Where do you want my tongue?"

She turns bright red and finally blurts out, "Lick my clit, please Jake, make me come!"

His wolf purrs in satisfaction. "Sure, sure. I'll make you come."

And he laves the hot length of his tongue against her nub, and pumps his fingers hard.

"Yesss... Jake... Ohhhh..."

He is stretching her as much as he can with his fingers, reading her to take his cock. He keeps up his long, slow licks of her clitoris and lets her climb higher and higher, until her head is thrashing back and forth, tangling her hair on her head, her skin flushed pink with a thin sheen of sweat. Then he starts to curl his fingers as he pulls out, and she stiffens, so he sucks her clitoris into his mouth and rapidly works the tiny tip with the end of his tongue.

And she shatters again.

He rises from his place between her knees and keeps working her with his hand. He can't wait any longer, and he leans over her, placing his left arm on the back of the seat beside her head, and kisses her deeply as he feels her contract around him. When she comes back to earth and opens her eyes to look at him, he removes his hand from her and snaps the button of his fly open, ready to push inside her.

Then he freezes, and a look of utter despair covers his face. "Oh, shit, Bells. I don't have any protection." He starts to stutter, "I got so used to it, in our dreams, honey, when it didn't matter. And I didn't go to bed expecting to wake up with you in it."

She smiles a lazy smile and looks up at him. For once she is the responsible one. She leans forward run the tip of her thumb over the head of his weeping cock, and finishes unzipping him. "We still have to get these off, Jake." He thinks she is going to go down on him instead as she pulls his shorts down, and can't help but be happy and sad all at once. He really wanted to be inside her pussy tonight. His wolf really, really wanted to be inside her.

But instead, she's just staring at his length with wide eyes. He is worried that he has overstepped his bounds, that he is pushing her beyond where she is comfortable going. So he backpedals and bends over to pick up his shorts. "It's okay, honey, we don't have to do anything else tonight. I'm just so happy to be with you." He wonders if he can sneak away for a few minutes. He does want to be with her, but if he doesn't jack off he's probably going to end up doing something to make her uncomfortable.

She grabs his hand before he can put his clothes back on. "No, Jake, I want it. I want you." She's still staring at him. "But did you get... even bigger?"

He looks down at himself. Oh. "Um, I didn't realize that got bigger too."

She examines his tight jawline, the beard growth on his face. "You look a little older, Jake. And you're taller, too. You've only been gone a couple weeks." She reaches out to stroke him gently, and he grits his teeth and throws his head back. Her voice drops to a whisper. "You're bigger everywhere. And you're even sexier than you were before." She spreads the precum over his head. He sucks in a deep, gasping breath. "You'll have to tell me what happened."

He can barely form words, let alone tell her the long, involved story. What she's doing to his cock feels way too good, even though she has only barely started touching him, and is using light, barely-there strokes. "Uh, Bella, I'm... oh... I was... There was this...Uhhh..."

She giggles. "Not now, silly. You can tell me later. You just surprised me, that's all."

"Oh... sorry. I didn't... uhhh... know... unhhh... I grew everywhere..."

She strokes a little more firmly. "It's not like you weren't huge already, Jake. Now you're almost ridiculous." She laughs nervously, and has no idea how he's going to fit inside her.

He pouts and moans at the same time. "It's not nice... uhhh... to laugh..."

She smiles. "Even when I'm talking about how big you are?"

"Mmm... I guess... mmm... 'sokay." He protests when she lets go and reaches around him, but grins happily at her when she produces a condom from the pocket of her pants on the floor. "Oh, thank god, Bella. You came prepared!" He teases her. "Were you planning on seducing me?"

She looks up at him through her lashes. "What would you say if I was?"

He picks her up in his arms and kisses her. "I'd say thank you. And I love you. And thank you again."

She laughs. "You're welcome. And I love you, too."

He sets her back down, and she opens the package, and unrolls it onto him. When she looks up at him, he is gritting his teeth and frowning a little. "What's wrong, Jake, did I do it wrong?" She looks back down. She hasn't put one on before, but she's pretty sure it looks like it's supposed to. And thanks to Leah, it's the right size. The normal ones would have been pitifully small. The wouldn't have fit at all, or if they did, they probably would have cut off his circulation completely.

"No, no, of course not. You're perfect." He pauses and looks up in the air. "It's embarrassing."

She is actually relieved that her perfect Jacob is embarrassed about something. He is just too good to be true, and it reminds her that he is really just a sixteen year old boy trapped in a god's body. It makes the whole experience more real. "Jake, you can tell me anything." She wraps her arms around him to bring him in for a hug.

He mumbles against her hair, "It's the wolf, honey."

"What about him?"

He mutters quickly, "Hereallyhatesthecondom."

"Oh!" She doesn't know what to say.

"It's stupid, Bella. He wants you pregnant. So he wants to rip the damn thing off. The wolf is an idiot. I won't let him, obviously."

"It's okay, Jake. We only have to use them for a week."

"Really?" He pulls back, surprised.

Now she's the one who's mumbling. "I got on the pill today."

He laughs in relief. "You really were planning on seducing me!"

She smacks him in the arm. "Thank Leah."

"Leah?" She is the last person on his mind right now.

"She took me to the clinic today. That was the big secret. That's where she kidnapped me."

He is bewildered. "She did? Why?"

Bella shrugs. "To keep us from making little Jakes and little Bellas."

He blinks his surprise. "I'd have guessed she'd try to cockblock me, if anything."

Bella laughs. "Consider her... whatever the opposite of a cockblocker is."

"A wingman? A pimp? Is Leah your pimp?" He snorts and spins around to sit on the loveseat, and brings her down on top of him.

"I sure hope you're not planning on sharing me with the rest of the pack, Jake."

He growls and pulls her close. "I'm not sharing you with anybody anymore, Bells. Not ever." He sweeps her hair off the mark on her shoulder and traces his fingers on it, causing shockwaves of pleasure to radiate down her body, and with his other hand tangles his fingers in her hair and draws her in for a deep kiss. It brings her pelvis and stomach in close contact with his shaft, and he tips his pelvis up to increase the friction.

His wolf wants her. He wants her. He wants to lift her up and slam her down on his cock, but he resists. He still doesn't want to hurt her. Instead, he moves his right hand down to her pussy, dips a finger in to gather some of her wetness, and starts circling her clitoris again to get her on the edge again. Her moan vibrates against his lips. She wriggles against his hand, and his wolf howls to get inside her.

She feels him vibrating underneath her, and leans back to see him gritting his teeth again, his eyes squeezed shut like he is in pain. "What's wrong, Jake?"

He is breathing hard, sweating in his attempt to keep his wolf under control. The movements of his finger on her nub are shaky and uneven. He speaks through clenched teeth, "The wolf wants you so bad. He wants to grab you and slam inside you. You're not ready for it though, even though you've come a few times."

"I want you, Jake, I want all of you." She runs her fingertips on the sides of his face.

He chuckles darkly. "Then have me. I can hold still, I can keep him in control, only if I don't let myself move. If you go at your pace, it won't hurt you so much." He is shaking beneath her. He swallows hard as he rubs rough circles on her clitoris. "Sit on my cock, please, take what you want. Have me."

She isn't used to this. He normally takes control, sets the pace, chooses when to take her with his hand, his lips, his cock. But this is the only way he can trust himself to stay in control. And she wants it. She wants him, needs him inside her. She leans forward to kiss him. "Okay, baby. I'm ready. Hold still."

He stops rubbing circles on her to hold the base of his cock steady. She stares at it for a second, and then looks back into his pleading eyes. He is desperate for her, and it makes her confident. She rises up on her knees, grabs his shoulders for leverage, shifts above him, and slowly, slowly lowers herself onto his shaft. He growls as she takes the head of him in, and resists the urge to grab her hips and slam her down. All he has to do is look at the bruised handprints on her arms, and he knows he won't hurt her.

She is murmuring, "Oh, oh, oh, Jacob," as she pulses around him. He is stretching her so wide, so far, and she only has the tip of him inside her. The burn is delicious, but she isn't ready for more. She holds herself quivering above him and can't keep her eyes open. He moves his hands to gently pull at her nipples, and she shakes with a tiny orgasm. "God, god, oh, god," she moans. The orgasm causes her to slip down just a little more on his shaft.

He is muttering beneath her, grunting with incomprehensible sounds of frustration and pleasure. He reaches up to trace her plump bottom lip with his thumb and she bites down on it. He wants more, and slips the finger into her mouth. She distracts herself from her pain and pleasure by swirling her tongue in circles. He removes his thumb with a little pop, and gazes at her pursed lips. "You are so, so sexy, Bells. You feel so fucking good."

She whimpers when she feels his wet thumb start to circle her clitoris again, causing aftershocks of her small orgasm. She pulses and contracts on the tip of his cock, and the aftershocks turn into bigger and bigger spasms of pleasure. It causes her to wiggle around on his shaft. She remembers from her dream, the one when he first entered her for the first time, that he held himself still while she squirmed around his cock. She recalls the waves of heat it sent outward from her core, so she tries to replicate the movement.

She succeeds. It isn't difficult, since she is already having little spasms from the movement of his thumb, and she knows what she's doing now. The sensation is an exquisite burn, and she pants and gasps as she moves on his shaft.

He can barely hold himself together. It was difficult to stay in control before, when they were together in their dreams. But now he's really here, and she's really here, and his wolf is howling for more, and he's losing his virginity to the only girl he has ever loved. To the only girl he ever wants to love. The truth of what is happening threatens to overwhelm him, to snap his tightly held control. The only thing keeping him from slamming her down on him, the only thing that keeps his hips from plowing upward to bury himself in her fully, is the knowledge that it is better for her this way.

And she does seem to be enjoying herself. He keeps his eyes open to see her, to read her face, and to memorize this blissful moment in time. He listens carefully to her cries and moans and whimpers. They turn him on and make him crazy, but more than that, he knows what each sound means. He has spent every moment with Bella Swan carefully learning to read her every expression, and he uses it to his full advantage now. Everything he has gained with her he has earned with love, attention, and perseverance. He can feel the contraction of her cunt on his cock with each movement of his thumb. And he can read her well enough to know when the sensation is too much, can feel when he needs to pause or gather more lubrication, senses when the slide of his finger turns into too much friction. He can feel and see and hear when to press harder, when to back off, when to swirl or when to gently pinch.

So when he thumbs her clit with one slick finger, and tugs gently at her nipple with his other hand, he knows it will make her come apart, and he relishes her crying out his name as her head drops back, exposing her lovely neck to him. He watches her back arch, follows a drop of perspiration rolling down from her jaw, down her neck, between her lovely, flushed breasts, and finally laps it up with his tongue. Then he holds himself completely still while she clenches and slides down further on his cock, and struggles to keep his eyes on her when she finally, finally slides down.

The first time she slides all the way down on him, he isn't surprised by the small amount of blood it produces, but he is startled by his wolf's crazed response. He has to let go of her and he clamps his grip down on the arms of the chair so hard he tears the upholstery. He can't look at her any longer. The sight of her naked body writhing on his length is too much for his wolf to handle. If he keeps looking, he's going to buck himself up and pull her down, and he simply refuses to hurt her. So instead he flings his head back, sinks his fingers into the cloth of the chair, and snarls.

She is startled out of her ecstatic burning by the feral sound, and she stills her movements, sitting fully on his enormous cock. The stretch is amazing. She stops to allow her body to adjust, the aftershocks of her orgasm flowing over the burning pain in waves. His sheer size keeps her clenching and spasming around him, despite the fact that they are both holding completely still. Now that she is coming down from her high, she has the presence of mind to really look at him. His muscles are prominent and defined as he flexes them all from his jaw, down his long neck, to his arms gripping the seat, to his chest and prominent abdominals, all tensed and vibrating, in the effort to hold still. The sweat that covers his body makes his dark skin glisten in the moonlight. She has never seen anything so beautiful. He is huge, he is hot, he is hard, and he is hers. He is the best thing that ever happened to her. He looks like he is in pain, and he is snarling deep in his throat.

"Jacob? Baby? Are you okay?" She reaches out to cup his jaw, and runs her thumb over his full bottom lip. He bares his teeth and nips at her finger with his sharp teeth.

"Fuck, Bells. Fuck." He grunts and snarls and shakes under her. The slight movement sends shockwaves of pleasure through her core, stretched around his shaft.

"Jake? Honey? What's wrong?"

He can't help but thrust, just a little, and then he is still again. He is trying to resist it, but his wolf is desperate. He thrusts just a little bit more and then tries his best to hold still. His voice is hard through his clenched teeth. He sounds like he isn't getting enough air. It is a tenor she has never heard from him before. "Ride me, Isabella. Fucking ride my cock."

Oh God. It's his Alpha voice. He is ordering her to ride him.

"Fuck me, Isabella. Work my cock with your sweet pussy and make yourself come."

It isn't the compulsion that his packmates will have when they hear him, but she still has no choice but to obey. So she braces her hands against his chest, rising up just a little, and then slips back down.

It is a small movement, but it still causes him to hiss through his clenched teeth. "Again," he commands.

His voice always turned her on, but this is another thing altogether. She surges with desire and obeys, repeating the movement. "Aaah... Again, Isabella!"

She is stunned and aroused. "Unhh. Again!"

He grunts as she complies, and manages not to move. His Alpha wolf's need to dominate is partly sated as she follows his commands, and he finds it marginally easier to hold still. "Fuck! More, Isabella!"

She rises a little higher this time, and lowers herself more forcefully. It feels amazing.

"Yes. Again." She repeats.

"Mmph. Harder, Isabella!" She obeys.

"Yes, Isabella!" She pants in response to his growl.

"Faster, Isabella!" She finds she can't do anything without his direction.

"Aaah. Let me hear you, Isabella." She lets out a throaty whimper.

"Shit. Again." She wails and bounces on him. She had never been more aroused in her life.

His wolf still wants to lift her off him, rip off the condom, flip her over and fuck hard and fast her from behind. The wolf wants to mark her again. But he won't do that, not this time. She simply isn't ready. If he did that to her, there would be too much pain. But this, this is different. He can tell how much she loves the sound of his voice, how it makes her drip and swell with desire. The Alpha timbre makes her absolutely wild, and it serves the dual function of settling his wolf just enough for him to keep still.

"Unhh. Rise up higher." She pulls up so he nearly slips out of her. "Down, now!" She does so. "Fuck! Again! Aaaah! More, Isabella!"

Neither of them is surprised to find out just how much she likes to be dominated. Even now, with her on top and him barely moving at all, she has given herself over to him fully. He, and he alone, can give her what she needs. And he will never abuse his power over her. He will use it solely for her pleasure.

"Mmmph. Higher. That's it. Ahhh. Slam down. Unhh! Yes! Fuck! Again, Isabella!" His voice, deep and snarling, forces her to new heights.

Then she is really riding him, the muscles in her legs burning, lungs gasping, sweat pouring down her body, her tight, hot pussy dragging up and down on his enormous shaft. He is yelling his harsh Alpha commands through his gritted teeth. "Mmph. Fuck! Ride me hard, Isabella! Unhh. Shit. Aaah. Again. Yesss. Pinch your nipples, Isabella. Both... of them. Fuck! Unhh. Roll them... Unhh... Between your fingers... Fuck. Yes! Ohhh... Don't stop riding! Fuck!"

She slams up and down on him, twisting her nipples at his direction, full of his voice, full of his desire, full of his cock, full of his love. She is desperate with her need for him.

"Yes. Unhh. Fuck me! Isabella! Mmph! Ride me! Aaah! Fuck!"

She is overwhelmed. He fills her body, her soul, her mind like no other. She shakes with the effort to obey him, and is right on the edge. Unconsciously, she waits for his signal of release as she follows his instructions, mad with desire.

"Your hand. Unhh. Isabella. Touch your clit. Aaaah! More, Isabella. Ride, Isabella. Mmmhh. Shit!"

Finally, after endless minutes of bouncing on him, being stretched to her limits in every way, pleasure building as never before, she finally, finally feels his hands on her hips tugging her down, and hears what she has been waiting for, in the forceful growl she has no choice but to obey, "Isabella! Now! Come, Isabella! Come now!"

And she screams. She is overcome. She splinters apart again and again, convulsing atop him, around him, because of him, and over him, endlessly, forcefully, again and again and again. Until she feels his release, hears his howl, feels him arch and hold her stiffly on his cock, and she comes and comes.

He finally, finally releases her with gentle words, the Alpha timbre rough and low in his voice, "I love you, Isabella Swan. Come back to me now." And slowly, gradually, her convulsions slow, and she collapses on him, his length still buried within her. He wraps his arms around her, and tugs the blanket over her. His voice returns to its low, sexy whisper. "Thank you, honey, for coming home to me. Please don't send me away again." And she drifts away to the sounds of his heartbeat and his breathing, and she is home.


	22. Chapter 22

Rating: MA for lemons

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Wednesday

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob wakes to the pop and hiss of a soda can opening. It isn't a threat, per se. Vampires don't steal his warm soda. He keeps his eyes closed for several more seconds, relishing the weight of Bella's soft, warm body draped over his. He has a dim recollection of arranging them both before completely falling asleep. Bella had passed out very quickly, exhausted from her exertions on him. He didn't think they would last the night on the tiny loveseat, so he had flung a blanket to the floor, stolen one of the cushions from the seat for a pillow under his head, and made his own body Bella's bed, keeping the other blanket tucked around her. She lay on top of him for the entire night. From now on, he hopes to awaken in such a fashion every morning. Minus the audience, that is.

The sound of snickering reminds him of their state of undress. He has no intention of sharing Bella's beautiful body with anyone else, and cracks his eyes open to find that the blanket has slipped halfway down her body, exposing the lovely curve of her back to the appreciative eyes of Paul Lahote. He finds himself growling involuntarily, and he pulls the blanket up to cover her.

"So the baby Alpha finally decided to rejoin the world of the living." Paul gulps down one of Jacob's warm cans of soda.

"What do you want, Paul?" Jacob's voice is threatening and low.

Paul narrows his eyes. "I came to see for myself."

Jacob wraps his arms protectively around Bella, who is starting to stir. "There's no show to see here, Lahote."

Paul chuckles darkly and gestures at Bella. "No? Well, where the little leech-lover goes, trouble is sure to follow."

Jacob feels Bella stiffen against him.

"Good morning, Isabella..." Paul taunts them. Bella freezes against Jacob as she realizes the implication of Paul's use of her full name. "I see you tried to make a man out of our little Jakey here last night. It's gonna take more than that to make a man out of that one, and I'm not sure you're up to the challenge."

Jacob says tightly, his jaw clenched, "Get out, Paul. Get out before I throw you out."

Paul finishes the soda in another large gulp, and crushes the can in his hand. "You need a fridge or a cooler out here. This is gross." He whips it straight at Jacob's head, but Jacob reaches a hand out and catches it easily in his fist.

"Out!" Jacob growls, but doesn't use an Alpha command.

"Ten o'clock. The real Alpha wants to see you." He turns to go, and Bella grabs the crushed can out of Jacob's hand, and against all odds manages to hit Paul's back with it as he leaves.

Jacob barks out a startled laugh, and the laughter drains the tension from his body. "Good aim, Bells. I didn't know you had it in you!"

She buries her face in his neck. "I think Leah must be rubbing off on me."

"She's a good influence on you, huh?" Jacob chuckles and kisses the top of her head. She snuggles against him. She feels too damn good, waking up in her Jacob's arms, to let Paul get to her.

"Mmm. She let me in on the fact that you guys are just overgrown puppies. Nothing to be afraid of."

"Puppies, huh?" He pulls her hand up to his mouth and playfully nips at her fingertips.

She giggles. "Yeah. Paul's not so tough. I'm pretty sure you could take him. Probably."

He rolls them over so he hovers over her. "Just probably?" He pins her arms over her head with one hand.

She manages to shrug. "You heard me, baby Alpha."

"Oh, you're gonna get it now!" And he mercilessly tickles her ribs with his free hand, and she laughs helplessly beneath him. Her squirming motions against drag her flesh across his growing erection, so he stops tickling her and dips his head down to kiss and lick at her neck and collarbone.

Minutes later she is panting and breathless, and she parts her legs. Then she winces and squeezes them back together.

He stops immediately. "What's wrong, Bells?"

She flushes with embarrassment. "I'm just a little sore, is all. You gave me quite a workout last night."

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry." He tenderly kisses her lips and forehead, and runs the tips of his fingers along her sides. He pulls back to look at her. "What time do you have to be at work?"

She is startled at the sudden change of topic. "Uh, nine."

He looks outside. The sun is still low in the sky. He has time. He slides out from under the blanket and tucks her back in gently. "Don't go anywhere." He tosses on his shorts and is gone out the door.

Just as she begins to wonder if she should go look for him, he returns with a bucket of steaming hot water and a pile of washcloths. He drops them in the bucket.

"Where are you sore, sweetheart?"

"Um, my legs," she responds. It isn't a lie, her legs are sore, but that isn't what made her wince. He flips up one corner of the blanket to expose just her left leg, and gently tugs her foot into his hand. He briefly massages the sole, then wraps her foot in a hot washcloth. Then he moves to her calf and repeats the motion, massaging the muscle and then running a hot washcloth up and down her leg. When he gets to her knee, he kisses it sweetly before using more hot water and a fresh cloth to run along her thigh. When he is done, he covers her leg back up, and exposes the other one, being careful not to lower the top of the blanket off her chest and arms. He doesn't want her to get cold. He repeats his pattern of massage and hot water rubs on her right foot and leg. She feels more relaxed than she has in ages.

That is, until he reaches the juncture of her thighs.

He spreads her legs apart and runs a light fingertip along her labia. She tingles and shudders. "Are you also sore here, baby?"

She nods, "A bit, but I'm okay, Jacob. I'll be fine soon, I'm sure." She tries to lock her knees together, but he doesn't let her. Gently but firmly he tips her legs open, placing kisses on the inside of each knee.

"Let me take care of you," he murmurs against her skin. He kisses his way up her thighs, and when he reaches her core, he gently soothes her tender skin with a fresh cloth, a very soft one. Warm water runs in rivulets down her body and soaks into the blanket underneath her. She sighs in contentment, and then she feels his lips between her parted legs.

He gives her sweet, small pecks at the tops of her thighs, while holding the hot cloth pressed gently to her center, radiating warmth into her. The sensation is pleasure and relaxation all at once. Then he moves the cloth away, shifts her legs over his shoulders, and his lips are on her.

He starts with soft, barely-there kisses to her outer lips that make her tingle. He adds his tongue, very lightly, and it almost tickles. And then he flattens his tongue against her core in a warm, flat stroke along her slit, just avoiding her clitoris, and she starts to wiggle and moan.

"Is it getting any better, honey? I don't want you to hurt." His voice is a low vibration against her leg.

She hums her contentment, "Mmm, yes Jacob. It feels good."

He presses another kiss to her center. "Just tell me if it's too much, okay?" And he resumes his tender ministrations of her.

With the next long lick along the length of her, he makes sure to swipe gently along her clitoris, and she bucks up. Then he plunges his hot, warm tongue deep inside her, massaging her tender walls. He slides and swipes repeatedly, in and out, and swirling inside her in shallow circles, massaging away the burning ache and replacing it with pure bliss. She wraps her hands through his thick hair to keep him in place.

He smells deeply of her essence as he tongues her and grips her hips gently but firmly. He loves the trust she places in him. For so long, he tried to cradle her heart in his loving hands, trying to show her with word and deed just how much she meant to him, but every time he felt like he made any progress at all, she would back away and run from him. All he wants is to love her and take care of her. He can't quite believe she is actually letting him. He won't let the opportunity slip through his fingers.

When he is confident that her aching walls are soothed, that the only sensations coursing through her body are ones of pleasure rather than of pain, he lifts his tongue higher to swirl around her clitoris. Her hums turn into full-throated moans.

He loves it. He loves the sounds she makes. He loves how responsive she is to his touch. He loves how she writhes against him. He loves how happy he can make her. He loves her.

He follows her twisting movements and keeps his tongue sweeping against her sensitive nub, back and forth, up and down, swirling in circles. She throws off the blanket covering her upper body, and he watches her nipples tighten in the cool air. He reaches up a hand to gently brush a thumb over the hard peak, teasing her into higher levels of arousal.

"Please, Jacob!" Her voice is strained with need.

He isn't trying to torture her. This is all about her pleasure. This is all about soothing away her soreness and turning it into aching desire. This is all about making her feel good.

So he gently sucks her clitoris between his soft lips and rapidly flicks the tip with his tongue, pinches her nipple and rolls, and he makes her come with a wail. He prolongs it as much as he can, continuing to stimulate her for as long as it still feels good, and then slowly, gently lets her down.

She blinks at the ceiling as he crawls up, resting his head on her stomach and tracing circles on her hip with his fingers.

"Was that okay, honey?" He gestures at the bucket. "I'd have rather run you a hot bath, but that's all I could manage with Billy in the house." He would love to slip inside of her and spend the morning making love, but she is too sore, and they don't have enough time.

"Mmmhmmm. That was wonderful, Jake." She runs her hands through his hair, and he hums his contentment. She pulls him up for a kiss, and he tastes like mint and like her.

"Did you brush your teeth when you went inside?" He tucks his head into her neck and nods. "No fair! I still have morning breath out here and you're all perfect and sexy and you taste good!"

He chuckles, "Trust me. You taste really, really good." He lightly traces his fingers along her thighs for emphasis. "And you're incredibly sexy. Sexiest woman I've ever seen."

"There is no way that's true, but thanks anyway." She lowers one hand from his hair to lightly trace up and down along his spine, and he shivers. He rises up to look her in the eye.

"It is true. You have your own category. There's Bella Swan, and then there's every other girl. It's always been that way. And now that you're letting me get you naked, it only reinforces the point."

"What about Leah?"

He looks confused. "What about her?"

"You've seen her naked."

"That's different. And it's not like we go out of our way to sneak a peek. At least, I don't. I like keeping all my body parts intact."

"You'd better keep those in working order." She reaches down, but he's too tall for her to get as far as she wants, so instead she pokes him in the buttocks with her finger, and he snorts back a laugh and kisses her on the tip of her nose. "They're important." She reaches for his hands. "These, too." Then she locks her gaze on his full mouth, and traces his lips with one finger. "And especially this." He nips at her finger with his teeth.

"How about my legs? Are those important?"

She shrugs. "Sort of, but not vital."

"So Leah can try to rip off my legs, but not my lips?"

Bella nods and attempts to plaster a serious expression on her face. "We can work without your legs. It'll be a challenge, but I think we're up for it. We didn't really use your legs that much last night, and it worked out okay, I think."

He narrows his eyes at her. "Last night was 'okay'?"

She shrugs again. "We can practice more, Jake." She is just teasing him, of course. Last night was not just the best experience of her life, but it was hotter than she could ever have imagined. But his face crumples a bit anyway. It is so easy to forget that her confident, cocky, sexy, alpha male Jake is still just a boy. He tucks his face back into her neck.

He mumbles, "Was it too much, Bells? Or too little? It was so hard to keep the wolf under control."

She runs her hands through his hair again. "You silly boy. Last night was... was... I don't even have words for it, Jake. I think most girls don't ever get to have an experience like that, not once in their whole lives, and you gave it to me for my very first time."

He huffs into her skin. "Hmmph." He doesn't sound convinced.

She kisses the top of his head. "I think most girls don't even... you know... a single time when they're virgins. Some girls can't even... you know... at all, when they're with a guy. But I... you know... a lot. Lots and lots last night."

He raises his head up at her with a silly grin. " 'You know'? I don't know. What on earth are you talking about, Bells?"

She flushes bright red. He loves it. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Jacob Black!"

He tickles her sides lightly and she giggles. "No, Bells, I'm ignorant. And you said we need to practice more. You need to explain. What on earth could you possibly mean?"

She laughs and covers her blushing face with her hands. "You just want me to say it out loud. You're trying to embarrass me."

"Aren't we a little bit past that now, honey? After all the... you know.. last night? And this morning?" He is grinning at her now. "You said it last night. And it was hot."

"I feel silly saying it! I feel silly talking about it."

He gently pulls her hands from her face, and his voice drops low. "Is it silly when I talk about it? Is it embarrassing when I tell you what I want you to do, what I want to do to you?"

She slowly shakes her head. "Of course not."

He leans down to kiss her lightly on the lips. "It turns you on, doesn't it, Bells?"

She nods slowly at him.

"Well, when you talk to me, it turns me on too." He kisses her again, and again, and again, until they are both panting. She grabs him by the buttocks and tries to pull him back to her. "Unh. I really, really want to, Bells. But you're still pretty sore." He looks out the window. "And after the little show we put on for the Newtons yesterday, it would probably be pretty obvious where you were if you show up late today." He glances at her clothing strewn about the garage. "In the same clothes as yesterday."

"I brought a change. It's in my truck."

His smile is wide. "You really were planning on seducing me last night, weren't you?"

"Planning is the wrong word. Hoping is more like it. But you were asleep, and I was really happy just to sleep in your arms. All those dreams, Jake... They made me figure out what I really want." She traces his jaw with her fingertips. "But every morning, waking up in my own bed, alone... Or worse, with Edward there... Well, knowing that you were here, just waiting for me. I couldn't resist coming over. I had no intention of going home again last night, whether or not you were even awake."

He slides his arms under her to wrap her in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you came over, Bells. It was the same for me, waking up alone. And each day, one day closer to your wedding, one day closer losing you forever."

"Not anymore, Jake. You won't lose me. I'm not going anywhere, now that I finally figured out what I was going to walk away from."

So he kisses her gratefully, and she kisses him back and wraps her arms around his broad back. They are both about ready to forget her work, forget his meeting with Sam, and just stay wrapped up in each other, holed up in their perfect space, when they hear the front door open.

"Jake? You guys out here?" Billy calls out.

"Crap," Jake mutters. He slides out from the blanket and grabs his shorts, hastily trying to hide his arousal. It's not working. He just doesn't fit, so he gives up momentarily to hand Bella her shirt and bra. She is already wiggling into her jeans. Watching her, half dressed, tangled hair, flushed cheeks, here with him, just isn't helping his situation.

"In here, dad!" He stays hidden behind the walls of the garage. Thankfully, Billy doesn't move off the porch.

"Sam called over. He wants to know if you can come see him today."

"Yeah, I heard. I'm going over around ten. What time is it now?"

"Seven. I'm heading back in." They hear a smile in Billy's voice. "Try not to get Bella pregnant before breakfast, okay son?" The front door closes to the fading sound of laughter.

Bella freezes in the middle of clasping her bra, her mouth hanging open. Jacob's erection is gone and he can finally get his shorts on.

He snorts, "You look like a tomato, Bells! I've never seen you that red before!"

She blurts out, "We're never having sex again, Jacob. Not until we're married."

He laughs and picks her up and spins her around. "We're getting married? Is that a proposal, Bella Swan?"

"I... But... It's not..." she sputters.

He holds her tightly before setting her back on her feet. "Don't worry, Bells. When I propose, you'll know it."

Before she can gather herself together, he runs out of the garage. "Let me get your clothes." He is only gone for a minute, but by the time he returns she has returned to coherency. She slips on a fresh shirt.

"I'd better get going, Jake. Even with the new clothes, I'm still sort of a mess."

He is grinning at her and leaning against the wall of the garage by the door, arms folded across his chest. "You're a gorgeous mess, Bells."

"Nevertheless, if I leave now I can get a shower in at home and tame my hair. Enough rumors will be flying around without me going to work with sex hair."

"Promise to let me mess it up again later?"

"Depends on how good you are. And how likely we are to get caught again. And you still have to tell me what happened while you were gone."

"Okay. And I don't know when I'll be patrolling, either. I'll call you?"

She moves to wrap her arms around his waist. "You'd better."

They are interrupted by the sound of running feet, and then Seth Clearwater's face appears in the door.

"Jake! You're back!" He bounces on the balls of his feet. "Morning, Bella!"

Jacob lets go of Bella enough for her to turn around to greet Seth. "Hi, Seth," she says shyly. She feels silly. He is so much younger than she, and his expression is open and happy, but she is still embarrassed that everyone is intruding on her reunion with Jacob.

"Is it okay if I escort you this morning? I think Jake's going to be busy today."

Jacob nods. "Good to see you, kid. It's a good idea, don't you think, Bells? Anything I should know about before you guys get going?"

Seth places his hands on his hips. "Yeah, but hopefully it won't turn into anything. Edward was pacing along the border for a while last night. Paul had a hard time keeping his own temper, but stayed on our side of the line. It was a little tense until the blonde vampire, the girl, came and took Edward away."

Bella is mortified. Paul obviously heard them last night. Did his thoughts reveal them to Edward? Jacob, as usual, is in tune with her, and puts a reassuring hand on her hip. "When was this, Seth?"

"Early, I think. It was at the beginning of Paul's shift." Bella releases a sigh of relief. It was probably before Jacob even woke up, then. "We thought maybe it would be a good idea for me to take your patrol today, Bella, since Edward and I get along pretty well, in case he comes around."

Jacob nods. "Thanks, man. It's a good idea. You can keep things calm if you have to. I'd rather be there myself, you understand, but I really need to talk to Sam and straighten things out with the packs as soon as possible." He turns Bella toward him and kisses her forehead. "I'll let you know what's going on as soon as I figure it out."

After kissing Bella enough to make Seth uncomfortable, Jacob lifts her into the cab of her truck and waves them goodbye. He steps back into his house, and is greeted by bacon, pancakes, and a good-natured lecture from his father about the potentially fatal consequences of getting Charlie Swan's daughter pregnant.

"You're a good kid, Jake, and Bella's a nice girl. But you would make terrible parents right now. And Charlie would murder you for sure, and then he'd have to arrest himself, and Bella and I would be stuck trying to raise the baby by ourselves. And I'm just not up for that, son."

Jacob thinks he has turned as red as Bella does when she blushes, and he feels both very large and very small squeezing himself into the small kitchen chair being gently chastised by his father. It almost makes him lose his appetite. Almost. But not quite.

Thankfully, Billy moves along quickly. "I'm going to assemble a council meeting this afternoon. Let me know what you and Sam decide, and I'll bring it to them."

"You have any suggestions for me, dad?"

"You don't need any suggestions, Jake. You're ready for it now." He claps his son in the shoulder and wheels to his bedroom to make the calls.

Jacob quickly finishes eating and washes the dishes. He had time for a quick shower, and if he rushes, he can make one important stop before he goes to see Sam.

Twenty minutes later, he knocks on the Clearwaters' front door.

Leah appears at the door wearing a fuzzy purple bathrobe. It is untied, and beneath it he spots blue cotton pajama pants covered with yellow ducks and a matching tee. There is only one duck on her shirt, and it wears a sailor's cap. It's old, from before she grew and started to phase, and doesn't fit at all, the pants reaching just past her knees, and the shirt baring her midriff. She sees him looking oddly at her outfit, ties her robe shut, and chooses not to explain that she had nothing else clean to wear to bed.

"Morning," she says, and steps aside to let him in. She goes to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. "How strong do I need to make this? Should I just plan to throw a shot of whiskey in my cup?" She clearly has low expectations for their talk.

Jacob rubs the back of his neck. His first real act as an Alpha isn't getting off to the right start. "One shot of whiskey isn't gonna do much, either way. And I'm hoping this isn't gonna be painful."

"You came here to tell me you want to merge the two packs."

He nods. "But it affects you, more so than anybody else but me, I think, so I'm here first."

She hands him a cup and places cream and sugar onto the table. "Obviously I love having Sam out of my head. You know that."

"Obviously."

"Obviously, it was also less than ideal to have a split pack the other night, when Cullen was freaking out outside Bella's house."

"Obviously."

"And obviously, with whatever freaky shit is going on with the one you've been chasing, with the dead vampires coming back to life, and the vamps that leave no trails, we can't afford to have poor communication between two packs."

Jacob is relieved. Leah obviously understands that the two pack system wasn't going to last for long. "Obviously."

"So I get it. I had a nice break for a few hours, but it's over now. I'm not going to fight you on this, Jake."

"Thanks, but that's not really why I'm here. I appreciate the support, I really do, but splitting the pack was never an option."

She quirks an eyebrow and sips her coffee. "So are you here to thank me for getting you laid?"

Jacob chokes a little on his coffee. "How does everyone know this already? We woke up this morning and Paul was ogling Bella. My dad already gave me a lecture. Your brother didn't say anything because he's a nice kid, but he knows too. When I get home, is Charlie going to be waiting in the porch with a shotgun?"

"I would so pay to see Charlie Swan shoot you. Preferably in the ass. But maybe if you could get your new girlfriend to be a little quieter, or if you could try ordering her around at a lower volume, the whole rez wouldn't know you got laid last night. I'll have to get you a muzzle. Wonder if she'd like that? You guys seem kind of kinky." Jacob buries his face in his hands. Bella is never going to let him touch her, ever again. Leah continues, "Just be glad I came along. If I didn't pull Paul away from your garage, he would have seen a lot more of both of you."

Jacob looks up. "When did this happen?"

"He was coming back to tell Sam about Cullen pacing the border, and you guys were so loud, he started heading over. I was on my way back from the Swan place since Bella was obviously not there. Which, by the way, was awesome. As far as I'm concerned, you should move her into your house permanently. If she's with you, then I can stay here, in my own bed, instead of moping around outside her house all night long. But I digress. I was on my way back, and I found Paul sidetracking from Sam's on his way to sneak a peek. He was totally about to look in the window when I pulled him away. So you can thank me for keeping your girl alive while you were gone, and you can thank me for keeping Paul from interrupting you while you deflowered each other."

Sheepishly, he mutters, "Thank you."

She shrugs. "Unfortunately, it's sort of inevitable. I know a hell of a lot more about Kim than I ever wanted to know. And I knew thirteen year old boys think about sex all the time, but my god, does someone needs to Alpha order Collin and Brady and my poor baby brother from paying any attention to Paul. Those boys are gonna be really screwed up by the time they ever get to touch a girl. Better yet, kick Paul's ass and then Alpha order him to keep it in his pants. There's this girl I used to be friends with, Julie, that I literally cannot look in the eye any longer." Jacob knows exactly who and what Leah is talking about. "She thinks I'm being a total bitch, but I... I just can't." She and Jacob both shudder at the memory until Jacob stands to refill their cups of coffee.

"Okay, we need to change the subject. None of this is why I'm here. I really did come to say thank you." He squares his shoulders. "You took really good care of Bella while I was gone. You handled yourself really well when Cullen was freaking out the other night. You put him in his place without doing anything that would start a war. You've got good judgement, even if you can be a total bitch." He smiles at her, and she chuckles and leans back in her chair. "Fact is, I trust you."

"Um, thanks?"

"I'm going to Sam's in a few minutes. You were right that having two packs isn't going to work. I'm going to take over as Alpha."

She nods. It doesn't surprise her. "How do you think Sam will take it?"

"It's going to happen one way or another. I would like it to be smooth, but either way, it needs to happen."

"I'll back you up."

He leans on the table. "Yeah. I knew you would. That's why I was wondering if you want to be my second."

She frowns. "What about Sam?"

Jacob nods. "He is the obvious choice, and he will do a good job if I give it to him. But like I said, I trust you."

"And everyone else? Seth would go for it, obviously. But everyone else hates me."

"So focus your bitchiness. It's a good trait in a beta, as long as it is focused and fair. We both that you can be fair if you want to be."

She taps her foot on the floor and considers. "Wow. That is really not what I was expecting."

He grins. "You didn't actually think I was coming over to thank you for getting me laid."

She throws a balled up napkin at him. "No, you moron, I thought you came over to tell me you're going to merge the two packs."

"Which I am. So what do you say? What do I tell Sam?"

She shakes her head slowly. "I appreciate it. I do. But this isn't what I want." She looks him in the eye. "This life isn't the one I want. The one I used to want is gone and it's never coming back, so I have to find a different one. And I don't think I'm going to find it in the pack."

Jacob nods, mostly disappointed and slightly relieved. "What do you want?"

"To go to college. I always thought I would marry Sam and settle down on the Rez, have kids. I thought I'd go to college, but still thought I'd come back here when it was all said and done. Now... Now I want to see what else is out there. It's what I was going to do after he dumped me, before I knew why, before I got sucked into all this." She makes a sweeping gesture with her hand. "I was going to get out of here and find something better. I still want that, and I can't do it if I'm beta."

"Okay, so when the time comes, when you're able to stop phasing, I'll back you up."

"Even if the timing sucks?"

"I know you by now, Leah. It's why I asked you to be my second. You'll only ask if you know we can manage without you." He is right, of course. Angry as she is, betrayed as she was, Leah Clearwater will not leave her brothers behind if they need her. He puts his empty cup in the sink. "I'd better get going."

"Do you want me to come? I don't want to be beta, but I will back you up, Jacob."

He shakes his head. "Thanks. I've got this." He walks to the door. "And Leah?"

"Yeah?"

"When the time comes, I'll let Seth go too. I know how smart your brother is, and I'm not going to trap him here forever either."

Ten minutes later he is knocking on Sam and Emily's front door. Emily opens it, and the smell of blueberry muffins floats toward him. She gives him a warm smile and lets him in with a hug and a hello.

"Glad you're back home safely, Jacob. Sam's out back. Grab a muffin while it's still warm and head on out."

He returns her warm smile and takes her up on her offer. He hears a knocking sound, and follows it outside. Sam is in the garden, putting up a large trellis for Emily's roses to climb.

Jacob the man is relieved and nervous to see Sam. Jacob's wolf bristles at the perceived challenge of another Alpha.

Sam looks up from his work. "Welcome home, Jake." His expression is open and relaxed, and Jacob's wolf relaxes marginally.

"Thanks. It's good to be back."

"Hold this for me?" Sam indicates the side of the trellis, which will overhang a bench with room to seat two. Jacob obliges, and Sam continues, "You got a little bigger while you were gone. In more ways than one, I think." Sam doesn't sound angry at all. He secures the trellis with nails.

Jacob takes a deep breath. "I wasn't trying to take this position from you."

"I know. You haven't yet, not exactly."

Jacob shakes his head and grabs the other side of the wood, holding it still against the other side of the bench. "But there's no way I can go back now."

Unexpectedly, Sam smiles and stands up. Jacob isn't used to seeing Sam smile, and thinks it's too bad. "You could try shrinking. You're taller than me now. Have fun hitting your head going through doorways."

Jacob huffs out a laugh. "You know that I never wanted any of this."

Sam turns serious and bends down to hammer the other side of the trellis. "You think I did?" Leah's face flashes in both their minds. "She's really proud of you, you know. She was the only one of us who really got to see what you did to those two vamps."

"I thought for a moment that maybe that was what I was supposed to do. Be a lone wolf, no home, no family, just be a vampire's worst nightmare wherever I went."

"But you know that's not true."

Jacob nods and takes the hammer and nails from Sam. He bends down to secure the base of the arch to the bottom of the bench. "Yeah. I have a home, and I have a family, and this is where I'm supposed to be. If something had happened to Leah, or any of you guys, while I was off playing superhero somewhere else..."

"We all know you weren't off doing something frivolous, Jacob. You saved Leah's life once already. And who knows how many lives you saved by killing those vamps. Not just the last two."

He feels no need to relive those experiences. "Tell me your version of what happened that night," Jacob asks, and moves to the other side to finish attaching the trellis to the other side.

Sam begins, "Leah and I were the only ones phased at the time, you remember. It was confusing, seeing Cullen through her eyes, and seeing something totally unrelated through your eyes, so far away. When you disappeared, Jake, I thought the vamps had gotten you. And then she was gone too, all of a sudden. I thought she was..." He can't say it. He shrinks into himself. "I could hear Cullen yelling. Everyone was phasing in, but none of us could find her in the pack mind. Seth was just as scared as I was. I was ready to murder Cullen, kill all of them, go to war. And then we found Leah alive and well, laughing of all things. I think you know the rest?"

"Sure, I think we're a little pack of three right now. It's cozy."

"Seth too?" Jacob nods and puts the hammer back in Sam's toolbox.

"She probably wants to keep it that way. Keep me and the rest of the guys out of her head."

"Maybe, but she knows what's best for the pack. I'm not sure, and neither is she, that two packs are a good strategy. All it did was cause confusion the other night."

Sam looks at him straight on. "Are you ready? Really ready?"

"I don't think I have much of a choice, Sam." Jacob squares his shoulders. "But yes, I'm ready."

"And we can't have an Alpha with divided loyalties, Jacob." Jacob narrows his eyes at Sam's statement. "If she chooses to turn, we can't afford to go to war, Jacob, not to revenge someone who didn't want our help. Who turned her back on us."

In a hard voice, he says, "You will not question my loyalties, Samuel Uley." It isn't an Alpha command, but it is close. "She doesn't belong to him. She isn't engaged to him. She is the love of my life, and my wolf's mate."

Sam nods slowly. "Does Cullen know what? If they hurt her? If they turn her?"

Jacob's eyes are blazing. His wolf is howling to be released, to take Sam's wolf down here and now. "If they turn her, it will be against her will. Then just try to keep me from tearing them to shreds. I've had a lot of practice now, and I'm really starting to like it."

Sam looks solemn and switches tactics. He isn't trying to start a fight with Jacob. "If it is against her will, then you're right. It would be an obvious breach of the treaty."

"It doesn't matter. I'll never let it happen," Jacob speaks through clenched teeth. His wolf is snarling inside him.

Sam crosses his arms over his chest, apparently satisfied. "I won't challenge you on this, Jacob, or for the position. You know I've been waiting for this day for a long time." He almost smiles. "Emily's going to be thrilled."

And just like that, Jacob's wolf is the sole Alpha, and it stops growling inside him. Jacob replies, "Then there is another matter. I need a second."

"Are you asking?"

Jacob nods. "I am. But you should know everything. I asked Leah first. I mean no disrespect to you, but if she wanted to do it, you and I both know she could do it extremely well." Sam looks surprised, but nods. He knows Leah as well as anyone, and knows it is the truth. "But she doesn't want the job. I'm not telling you to cause offense or belittle you. You have done an amazing job as Alpha so far, and would clearly be an excellent Beta if you desired. But she deserved to be asked, so I did. But she turned me down."

Sam isn't offended, but he does want to know more. "Did she say why?"

Jacob doesn't break his gaze. "She wants to leave when she is able to stop phasing." Sam feels like he has been punched in the gut. Even after all this time, even being blissfully happy with his imprint, he has never stopped loving Leah Clearwater. Seeing her all the time tortures her, tortures him, but he craves it nonetheless. Jacob continues, "And when the time comes, I plan to let her go."

Sam can't speak, so he just tips his head in assent.

Jacob watches Sam carefully. "Knowing all that, I do think you are the best choice for Beta."

Sam's voice is hoarse when he recovers it. "I'll do it."

Jacob stands to go. "Thank you, Sam. You won't regret it."

"I know. You're ready, and so am I."

"I'm going to tell my father. He'll let the council know. Can you help me gather the pack for a meeting this afternoon? We should talk to everyone soon instead of just letting rumors fly."

It takes a few hours, but one by one, the entire pack except Seth arrives at Jacob's house. When the house quickly fills to capacity, they move into the backyard.

Embry and Quil are glad to see their friend back home, healthy and happy. Quil won't stop teasing Jacob, and Leah snickers from behind him.

"You run off with your tail tucked between your legs, and come back a total stud! You should have started stripping naked sooner, man! It gets you the girl of your dreams, and it stuns the vamps into submission!" Spotting Brady and Collin, he retells the story of Jacob and the seductive blonde vampire, adding plenty of sordid details that are completely fabricated.

He tries to stop Quil, but Embry puts a hand on his arm. "It's too late, man. The legend of the Jake Black special has a life of its own now."

"I swear, it's not a strategy! The first time I just didn't want to shred my clothes. The second time she undressed me. I didn't want her to; it was disgusting! I was just waiting for a good moment to attack her. The third time I was trying to distract the bloodsucker by phasing. I would have phased into a shirt and pants if I could have!"

Quil is cackling at him. "No man, once you realized the effect your body has on your girl, you decided to try it out on everyone else. Turns out your nudity is lethal to everyone but Bella. And I hear she barely survived last night!" Quil sprints away as Jacob chases after him, and gets as far away as the woods before Jacob catches up. Quil tries to get away by scrambling up a tree, yelling, "Strip off all your clothes, Jake, and I'll fall out of this tree!"

Laughing, Jacob locks his hand around Quil's ankle, and drags him back down. "It's gonna take more than that to get away from me, Ateara!"

Quil deliberately lets go of the trunk, heavily landing on Jacob and knocking him to the ground. "Hey, you're softer to sit on than I thought you'd be. Maybe that's why Bella likes it so much!"

Jacob shoves Quil off him and locks him in a tight headlock, and drags him back to the yard, squirming and laughing. "Watch the hair, watch the hair!"

"Dude, you haven't even washed your hair in days, have you?"

"It's a perfectly coiffed style!" It absolutely isn't.

By the time they get back, Sam has arrived with Paul, who is angrily pacing back and forth.

Quil straightens and folds his arms across his chest when he spots Paul's obvious frustration, standing just behind and beside Jacob in a clear stance of support. Embry moves to his other side.

With a tilt of his head, Jacob indicates to both of them that they can relax, and extends his hand to shake Sam's. They turn to address the assembled group.

Jacob clears his throat. "I'm glad to be home, and glad to see everybody. I'll get straight to the point. You all know that when I was on my way home, I found myself battling two vampires. During the battle, I defied a direct order. I found myself growing, and I felt a new level of power come over me. For a few minutes I was on my own until Leah joined me. A lot of you experienced that part, and you remember the confusion of no longer being able to communicate with everyone through the pack mind. And that situation was not one of our more dangerous ones. We calmed Cullen down, and there was no battle of any kind. Even so, our limited ability to communicate could have been disastrous, especially if we were in a more dire situation." He pauses to assess his brothers. Several are nodding in agreement, but Paul hasn't stopped pacing.

"Sam and I have spoken, and we agree that having two packs is not tenable. It isn't safe or effective. We are here to protect our home, and we cannot do it divided."

Sam steps forward and speaks. "It's time for Jacob to take over as Alpha, and I will remain as his second. It's right for him, it's right for me, and it's right for Emily." There are a few chuckles at his last statement, but Paul can't keep quiet anymore.

He comes up to Jacob, pointing a finger at his face. "The pup isn't ready, and he never will be. His loyalty doesn't lie with us. He's too whipped by the pathetic little leech-lover."

Jacob lowers his voice to a growl, but stops short of an Alpha command. He leans over Paul. "I am loyal to this pack, and she is as loyal to me as I am to her. She is my wolf's chosen mate, and I have marked her. I do not need your permission." There are a few startled coughs at this; there were rumors, but Leah is good at keeping secrets, and other than Embry, no one had any confirmation that Jacob had marked Bella.

Sam steps in. "You have two choices, Paul. Accept Jacob as Alpha, or fight him."

Jacob can read the fleeting expressions on Paul's face In the second it takes before Paul phases, inches away from Jacob, still in human form. Paul roars in Jabob's face.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Paul?"

Paul growls back, so Jacob steps back and phases. Their brothers and sister phase in as well, then back up to give them a wide berth before as they race into the trees.

As soon as they reach a small clearing in the woods, Paul twists and springs at Jacob. Jacob easily sidesteps the assault. Paul circles him and tries again, but Jacob is much faster, and Paul crashes into the trees behind him.

_Stand still and fight me, you coward! Your pathetic dirty tricks won't work on me!_

_Then come get me!_

Jacob leans back in a defensive crouch, and when Paul springs up, he flings himself forward to meet him mid air. His larger bulk sends Paul careening backward. He sees Paul's teeth reaching up for his exposed neck, and easily bats away Paul's muzzle with a claw, leaving a nasty scratch. Paul rolls away, landing on his feet to Jacob' left side. He leaps forward to try to take a piece out of Jacob's flank, but Jacob jumps forward and immediately twists around, sinking his teeth into Paul's rear leg.

Paul is snapping and growling and twisting around, but Jacob won't let him go.

_Submit!_ He still doesn't use his Alpha tone. Paul needs to decide this on his own.

Paul just roars in response, and works his leg free. Jacob could rip it off, and they both know it, but he doesn't. Paul limps around to circle around again.

Jacob is tired of the farce, and doesn't wait for Paul's attack this time. He puts all his force behind a direct attack at Paul's throat. Paul leaps to the side, but Jacob is incredibly fast now, and substantially bigger than Paul. Jacob knocks Paul onto his side and grabs his throat firmly in his jaw. He bites firmly enough to hurt, just starting to draw blood, and Paul is unable to free himself.

_Are you done?_

Paul is wordless, the only sound coming from his throat a low growl. So Jacob leans harder into Paul's side and sinks his teeth a little further into his neck, until Paul finally whimpers in pain.

_Fine, fine. You've won._

Jacob releases his teeth, and Paul limps off, cowed. No one follows him.

_Stay for a few more minutes._ He says this to the remaining pack. He proceeds to show them the events of the days he was gone. He skips over the mundane details, but shows them every moment of his battles, as well as the futile and confusing chase when he nearly caught up with his prey before she fled into the water. They can all feel Paul listening in.

_Our enemy sticks to the water and to the trees as much as possible, which makes it hard to follow from the ground. It's a small female. It can project images. It can confuse you. Pay very close attention to your other senses. Don't trust what you see, but trust what you smell. I don't know if there are any limitations to what it can project. So far I've seen at least two vampires that weren't actually there. Bella saw a man that turned out to be dead. So far no one has seen any image that seems to be of someone living, but I don't know if that matters. Most of all, keep the lines of communication open. If someone is in trouble, I want no chaotic yelling. Keep your thoughts clear and succinct. Say what you have to say and then be quiet. And remember. Trust your other senses. Any questions?_

There are none. And with that, Jacob is Alpha of the entire pack.


	23. Chapter 23

Rating: MA for lemons

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: The story has been nominated for a Non-Canon award in the lemon category. Thanks to whomever made the nomination. There are much better stories up there than this one, go check them out!

X-x-x-x-X

Wednesday

X-x-x-x-X

By the time Bella gets home, Charlie has left for work. She finds a note from him asking her to call him to let him know her plans. She doesn't know what she wants to do tonight, only that she wants Jacob to be there.

She lets Seth into the kitchen. "Sorry I don't have a real meal to feed you. Would you like some coffee or a bowl of cereal?" Seth isn't picky and accepts the entire box of cereal. She heads upstairs, glad that Seth is comfortable enough to be around her again. He has apparently gotten over his embarrassment around her. She suspects that her more official status with Jacob makes it easier for Seth to talk to her.

After a quick shower and half hearted attempt to blow dry her hair, she reappears in the kitchen. Seth is nowhere to be found. She steps outside and finds him leaning into Alice's yellow Porsche, enthusiastically pointing out features that Bella doesn't even understand.

Alice approaches Bella with a sad smile, and opens her arms to welcome Bella in for a hug. "You may not be my sister anymore, but you're still my best friend, Bella."

Bella tears up a little. "Thanks, Alice, that means a lot to me. How is he?"

"Panicking, to be honest. Heartbroken, obviously. And I really can't see your future anymore, so he's terrified. He thinks Jacob marked you against your will."

"It wasn't against my will, Alice."

"He thinks you're confused, thinks you got tricked or there was a spell cast on you or something."

"There is no such thing. Jacob just loves me, Alice, and I figured out how much I love him."

"Does he make you happy, Bella?"

Bella smiles. "He always has, and I can't believe how long it took me to figure out what that meant. I think... I think I was mistaking melodrama for passion. Obsession for love." Alice looks at her sadly. "Oh, don't get me wrong, Alice. I know Edward loves me, and I'll always love him. I just didn't know how much more there could be." She runs her hand through her hair, and in so doing exposes the bruise on her right arm. Alice looks mortified, and tugs up her shirtsleeve to see better.

"Bella, what happened?" Her voice is quiet, but Seth's hearing is acute, and he turns to look, a crease furrowing his brow.

Bella unconsciously wraps her arms around her middle. "Edward grabbed me. Before I tried to give back the ring. He let me go, obviously."

"I'm so sorry, Bella." Alice's expression turns from sad to angry. "It won't happen again. I'll make sure of it."

Seth pipes up, "Jacob will make sure of it. I'm surprised he hasn't killed him already. I thought I liked him well enough, but that's over the line, Bella. If he tries anything today, I'll be right there. Where is he right now?" He addresses Alice.

"He's at the house. Carlisle is trying to talk to him. He isn't really responding to anyone. Jasper and Emmett won't let him out. Don't worry. Have you told anyone yet, Bella?"

She nods. "The Newtons found out yesterday when Jacob came to see me at work, and they could have told anyone by now. I told Charlie last night." Charlie's expression had wavered between relief and concern. But he couldn't keep a little smile off his face when she asked to go see Jacob. "Renee doesn't know yet."

Alice replies, "Well, I can cancel the wedding plans themselves. But you should really tell your mother. I can handle everything else." Bella is relieved.

Seth clears his throat. "Bella, I think you're about to be late for work." She glances at her watch. Seth is right. If she doesn't leave right away she will be late.

Alice offers, "We'll get there faster if you let me drive you."

Bella thanks her, but declines, and hugs her quickly before climbing into her truck. Seth climbs in the passenger seat. "Mind if I come the old fashioned way? Since you're in town I can't really stay close as a wolf." She barely makes it to work in time.

Bella's day is filled with awkward, curious glances from Mike Newton, and later in the day, from Mrs. Newton. Mike looks perplexed when Seth picks up Bella to get lunch. He is clearly wondering how Seth fits into what he thought was a triangle between Bella, Edward, and Jacob. Is it a square? And what's up with Bella and younger guys?

Bella buys Seth three large sandwiches, two bottles of gatorade, and a family size bag of chips for Seth's lunch to thank him for watching out for her. "How does your mom afford to feed you and your sister, Seth?" She wonders aloud while he inhales his food.

Seth replies, "Well, now we're able to hunt for a lot of our food ourselves, which cuts down on the cost quite a bit."

Bella's eyes widen in surprise. "Really? You do that?"

She looks over at Seth who is laughing at her silently. "No, silly. We hunt vampires, not rabbits. Although there was this one time that Quil got distracted chasing a rabbit and didn't come back for hours." He goes on to regale her with tales of the pack, ending with another exaggerated retelling of the Jake Black special. Bella didn't know it was possible to laugh and be jealous at the same time. The hour passes quickly, and when she realizes she has to go back to work, she heaves a heavy sigh. She would much rather stay here with Seth. She looks at him out of the corner of her eye as they walk back to Newton's. He gives her a spontaneous hug before he opens the door for her. It's almost as nice as one from Jake.

Mike can't contain his curiosity any longer, and looks at her quizzically. "Who was that guy, Bella?"

"Oh, him? That's Seth. He's one of Jacob's friends." She pauses and corrects. "He's one of my friends."

"Are you seeing him? He was awfully handsy."

Bella snorts a laugh of surprise. Seth? Handsy? Jacob would rip out his arms and beat him with them if he was being handsy. "No, I'm seeing Jacob." It startles her to realize how easily the statement slips off her tongue. "Seth is like the brother I never had." And it's true. She realizes as she says it that the family she mourned when they were ripped away from her, the family she was willing to give up everything for, isn't the only family she has. The people who love her aren't just Charlie, Renee, and Jacob. The wolf pack isn't just Jacob's family. They're hers.

Mrs. Newton gives them an equally odd and questioning look when Seth picks Bella up at the end of her shift, and they leave together in her truck. Bella doesn't bother to explain again. For all she knows, there will be a different pack member escorting her tomorrow, and she will gather even more suspicious glances then.

He accompanies her while she shops for groceries. Every time she looks in her cart, he has thrown another kind of junk food inside. At each roll of her eyes, he good-naturedly returns the food to the shelves. When she catches him throwing double stuffed double chocolate Oreos into the cart before sheepishly pulling them out, she stops him, holding her hand out for one of the cookies. By the time they get to the checkout lane, the bag is two thirds empty. The startled cashier is about to scold them, but Seth's bright grin stops her short, and she hands him the cookies directly instead of placing them in a bag.

By the time they get back to her house, the bag is empty, and Seth's teeth are brown. Bella had eaten two cookies. She invites him to stay for dinner, but he begs off, saying his mother expects him. He carries her bags inside before loping off into the trees, giving her a goofy, chocolate-stained smile and a wave. She heads into her house to find a message from Jacob on her answering machine telling her that he is free after her shift is over. She really needs to call Renee to update her, but can't bring herself to wait before calling Jacob. Billy answers the phone.

"Hi, dear! Seth treat you well today?"

"Hey, Billy. Yeah. He's such a good kid. He reminds me of Jake."

"Me too. Keep your eye on that one. He's going places someday, just watch."

Spontaneously, she makes a quick decision. "What are you and Jake doing for dinner tonight?"

"Well, your dad and I have a pretty big stockpile of fish. This has been a pretty successful summer for us amateur fishermen, you know."

"Are you tired of fish yet? Why don't you both come over here for dinner?"

"You know we'll never turn down your cooking, Bella! We'd love to. What can we bring?"

"Yourselves. And whipped cream and a loaf of Italian bread. Seth distracted me at the store."

"Great! We'll be by in a couple hours. Want to talk to Jake?"

"Yeah, is he free?"

She hears silence for a minute, and then Jacob's voice on the other end of the line. "Bells! Hi honey!" He sounds like the enthusiastic sixteen year old boy he actually is, rather than the sexy, dominant alpha male he is rapidly becoming. It puts a grin on her face.

"Hey, Jake. Did your dad tell you that you're coming to our house for dinner?"

He lowers his voice so she can hardly hear him. "How am I gonna keep my hands off you? All I want to do is touch you. Do things to you that they should definitely not see." While she flushes, he raises his voice. Billy must have come into earshot. "Are we picking up pizzas on the way, or are you cooking?"

"You've been gone for weeks, and you come back Alpha, and you think I'm going to make you pick up pizza?"

"I was hungry already, but now I'm absolutely starving. Your food is amazing. What are you making?"

"Chicken pesto and asparagus. With lots of pasta. Which I'd better get started on, if you want to eat tonight."

"I can't wait, honey. We'll see you soon."

She doesn't have time to make everything from scratch, but she froze some pesto the last time she made a batch, and her pie will work with a no-bake crust. She rapidly rinses strawberries and cuts them up, placing half in the blender to purée, and placing it on the stove to heat. She melts in splenda instead of sugar for Billy, water, and cornstarch and sets it to simmer. Then she pulls out a box of vanilla wafers to crush, adds melted butter and a little vanilla extract, and presses it into the bottom of a pan and refrigerates the pan to set the crust. While it chills, she washes her asparagus and tomatoes. By the time Charlie gets home, the house smells of basil.

He wanders into the kitchen. "What's all this, Bells? It smells great in here."

"Pesto chicken and asparagus. And there's a strawberry pie cooling in the fridge."

"Are we feeding a small army?" He glances at the huge bowl of pasta. "Or is Jacob coming over?" He gives her a smug glance.

"Yeah, sorry I forgot to call and tell you. He'll be here with Billy in a little bit." Before she finishes the sentence, they hear a knock on the door, and Charlie greets them enthusiastically.

Jacob nearly tackles Bella into the kitchen table, but catches her before she topples over, and lifts her up and spins her around. He has a grocery bag in his hand, and it bumps against her thigh. She laughs, "It's only been a few hours, Jake, you just saw me this morning."

He mumbles a response into her hair. "Too long." He doesn't put her down.

"Is this going to be a habit? That you don't put me down?" She snuggles into his neck and keeps her arms wrapped around his shoulders.

"Ah, you're catching on."

She peeks over his shoulder and sees Charlie and Billy not very subtly peeking into the room. They rapidly withdraw when they realize they've been spotted, and Bella can hear them whispering. "What are they saying?" she asks Jacob.

"What do you think? They're gossiping about us. Apparently Billy won a bet that you'd dump Cullen for me, but Charlie is trying go to double or nothing on a different bet. He's probably going to lose that one too, though."

"What's the other bet?"

He sets her on the counter, and she wraps her legs around his waist and tucks her head under his chin. "It's about how long it will take them to catch us making out. Charlie thinks they'll catch us immediately, but Billy knows I can hear them trying to sneak up on us." He drops the bag on the counter. "Although if you let me use this whipped cream the way I want to, I'll probably be too distracted by you to notice them coming. And then I'll lose, bet or no bet, because your father will shoot me."

She traces her fingers up and down his arm. "That wouldn't really hurt you, though, would it?"

He runs one hand over her hair, and keeps the other tightly around her waist. "A bullet? Or a spray of shotgun pellets? Sure they'd hurt. Maybe not as much as they'd hurt you. They just wouldn't kill me. I'm not exactly sure what it takes to kill me. Let's not find out, though, shall we? Hey, Bells?"

She doesn't want to move. She knows she should sauté the asparagus, but she feels too good wrapped up against Jacob's chest. "Yeah?" she sighs.

He whispers, "What's the whipped cream really for? I'm betting you didn't ask us to bring it over so I can lick it off you."

She can feel his erection start to stiffen against her as he thinks about it. "Strawberry pie." She is surprised when her response brings him to full attention. He gulps.

"Strawberry? I thought I smelled that under the pasta sauce. I thought it was just you." His voice is getting gravelly. "Bells, you're totally going to get me shot, here, tonight, by your dad."

She can't help but press herself more firmly against him, drawing out a low moan from him. He buries his face in her hair and inhales. But she is still confused. "What's up with you and strawberries?"

He laughs and groans at the same time. He mumbles into her hair, "You. You smell like strawberries and vanilla."

"So?"

His voice drops to a husky whisper. "So the scent of strawberries, especially if it's mixed with vanilla, gets me totally hot." He grinds against her for emphasis. "And you making a strawberry pie, wearing that, after what we started this morning and didn't really get to finish..." She looks down at herself. She is just wearing her usual attire of jeans and a gray t-shirt. The shirt doesn't reveal cleavage, and it's boring and actually quite old. He notices her confusion. "It's a little small, Bells." She never noticed it before, but he's right. It has shrunk in the wash. She hadn't paid attention, but when she lifts her arms up, the shirt reveals her midriff. Jacob glances behind them to make sure neither of their fathers are in view. He turns back to her, saying, "And it got thin somewhere along the way, I think because it's so old and threadbare, so if you're wearing just the right bra..." He lightly runs a thumb over her left nipple through the shirt. His pupils dilate and his breathing becomes heavy as he stares at her. She is fixated on the sensation of his hand and the intensity of his gaze on her chest. But she glances down and sees that indeed, the outline of her stiff nipple is entirely visible through the shirt and the thin cotton bra she chose to wear.

A small part of her is horrified. She wears this shirt all the time since it is so comfortable. Mostly, though, Jacob just makes her feel attractive. So after checking to make sure Charlie and Billy are still occupied in the living room, she takes his other hand and raises it to her right breast. He smiles a sexy little grin at the action, presses his forehead to hers, and gently massages both her breasts until she starts to pant. She circles her hips against his erection, and his mouth drops open, and she feels shallow, quick breaths puff against her lips. She drops her head back against the cupboard behind her, and shifts her pelvis in circles. She stares at his furrowed brow and full, pink lips, and realizes he hasn't kissed her. She is starting to lean forward with the intention of tracing her tongue along his lips when suddenly he slides her to the floor and turns her toward the sink, pushing away from her. With superhuman speed, he is sitting at the kitchen table with his hands folded in his lap, his shirt untucked and loose in front of him.

Which is the position they find themselves in when Charlie wheels Billy into the kitchen. Charlie is looking at both of them suspiciously. Bella stays turned toward the sink, but does turn her head to look at their fathers just in time to see Billy wink at Jake, who is immediately mortified. Bella flushes bright red and turns away from them, busying herself with cutting the bread and putting it on a platter. Billy is a smart man. He knows exactly what he's doing. There is no better way to discourage his teenage son than to embarrass him in front of his new girlfriend. It does work, at least temporarily. Jacob's erection is totally gone.

It makes dinner pass more smoothly. Bella cooks the asparagus in butter and salt while Jacob eats almost all the bread by himself, setting aside a thick, crusty slice for her. By the time she has the finished, the topic of conversation has taken a darker turn.

Billy, glancing at Jacob quickly, asks innocuously, "So what's this I hear about Frank, Charlie?"

Charlie sets down his bread with a sigh and rubs his face with his hands. "The M.E. says he was killed six weeks ago, maybe. Which is consistent with when his family says he disappeared. They hadn't called it in, unfortunately. He'd been having some trouble at home. Apparently his wife wasn't surprised when he didn't come home. Had a big fight with her, had threatened to leave. So when he didn't show up for work, she said she thought he took off, and they didn't call it in either, even though the truck was missing too. Guess his boss was pretty close with him and knew he'd been having trouble at home, and didn't want to get him in trouble with the corporation. His boss was hoping he'd show up any day now and return the truck."

"I'm surprised they let it go that long," Billy contributes.

"Me, too. I think people just prefer not to think the worst, you know?"

"Any clue what happened to him?"

"At first I thought it was animals, like those attacks from before. Body wasn't in very good shape, you see. But the M.E. says that most of the trauma to the body happened post mortem. Animals did get to it, since he was left out in the woods. But cause of death was exsanguination. Funny thing, though, no blood at the scene. Whomever killed him must have moved him after."

"Where'd you find him? I want to make sure these guys are out of harm's way, you know?" Billy gestures at Jacob and Bella. Jacob is helping her set out the food, and he parcels out only a small portion of pasta for Billy, but a larger helping of chicken.

Charlie knows he isn't supposed to be disclosing this level of information, nor most of what he has already said, but this is his own child, and Billy and Jacob are more important to him than most of his actual family. Billy and Jacob are his family. "East of here in the national park. The truck was pretty close by the body. Which is normally outside my jurisdiction, but he was a resident of Forks, and we have no idea where he was actually killed, so the jurisdiction is pretty unclear."

Bella and Billy both look at their food with some distaste. The conversation has made both of them lose their appetites a little bit, but Charlie has become immune to such things, and Jacob is always hungry. Always. He has a chicken breast finished before Bella has finished three bites. "Oh, honey, this is so good!" He is positively blissful, and not faking it one bit. He picks up a little piece of tomato with his fork. "What did you do to this to make it taste this way?"

She grins at him. Cooking for Jacob is very satisfying. "I marinated the tomatoes in balsamic vinegar and olive oil."

His enthusiasm rubs off on everyone else, and soon enough the dark side of the conversation is forgotten. The conversation moves easily, and by the time dinner ends, it isn't Jacob eating the last piece of chicken, but Charlie and Billy are fighting over it. Jacob, of course, had not been underfed, and had finished four by himself, as well as more than one heaping plateful of pasta. Bella is proud of herself. She not only got him to eat her asparagus, but he claimed to love it as well. "They're covered in butter, Bella, how could they not taste good?" Jacob makes an executive decision about the last piece of chicken, and efficiently splits it in half and distributes a piece to each of their fathers.

Before they finish, while Jacob clears his and Bella's plates from the table, she pulls out the pie, and slices a huge piece for Jacob.

Billy looks over. "Oh, that's why you didn't fight us for the chicken. There was a method to your madness. You figured we would still be occupied with this, and you'd eat all the dessert before we could have any!"

Charlie laughs and chimes in, "You may have raised a devious boy, but my Bells won't let us go hungry." Bella proves him right when she sets aside slices for Charlie and Billy. Jacob sits down, staring at his slice. Oh, no. It doesn't just smell like sweet, ripe strawberries. The crust is made of vanilla wafers, and he can smell the extra vanilla extract she added. He's a goner when Bella comes over with the whipped cream, leans over him, and leaves a giant dollop on top. Smelling her own scent, plus the strong strawberries and vanilla sweetness, with her breasts just inches from his face as she leans over him, are a lethal combination. He takes a bite, but then doesn't move, looking distinctly uncomfortable. Charlie, thankfully, misinterprets. "Did you actually find your limit, son? Are you actually full?" Charlie laughs at Jacob, who is relieved that Charlie can't tell how aroused he has become sitting at their kitchen table. He scoots closer to the table, just in case. He should have asked Bella to put on a different shirt, or waited to give him the strawberry pie until after their fathers were done, or at least not put whipped cream on top. He simply cannot look at it without thinking about licking it off of Bella's body.

Then she sits across from him and eats her own slice. Slowly. Staring him right in the eye, and deliberately wrapping her mouth around her spoon and licking it as she pulls it out of her mouth. Where did this Bella come from? And is she trying to kill him? Or just get him killed? She looks away from him often enough, engaging in chatter with Billy and Charlie. She does a great job of holding her end of the conversation. So when she slides her toes up his calf and along his inner thigh, their fathers genuinely don't notice that Jacob has gone silent and still, and can't tear his eyes away from Bella. But she notices. She feels the intensity of his gaze, and when she does steal a glance at him, sees how dilated and fixed his eyes are on her.

Jacob eats slowly for once, and hasn't actually finished his slice by the time Billy and Charlie move to the living room to settle in in front of the Mariner's game. Bella stands to clear the plates, but before she can get past Jacob, he tugs her into his lap and kisses her thoroughly. She can feel his arousal against her hip until he shifts her to straddle him, one hand buried in her hair, the other holding her firmly gripping her ass and holding her close to him. In this position he brings her core right up against his length, with just a few scraps of fabric separating them. In only moments, she is just as aroused as he is.

The new scent of her arousal drives Jacob out of his mind. He stands and she wraps her legs around his waist, and he holds her up by her buttocks. He shoves her up against the kitchen wall so he can brace her against it and grind into her thoroughly. She starts to whimper quietly as he twists his hips, the sensations only heightened by their clothing and the imminent danger of getting caught. He releases her lips only long enough to whisper, "Shhh..." and then captures her lips again. He is intoxicated. She not only smells of strawberries, vanilla, and her own arousal, but tastes of the heady sweetness as well.

Bella is thrilled at Jacob's passion for her. She will never admit it, but once she knew the effect she was having on him tonight, she deliberately positioned herself for maximum effect while giving him whipped cream. And she has no idea what came over her when she started to lick her spoon, but it was working so well she just couldn't help but push it as far as she could go without getting them caught. She even found herself coming up with more compelling conversation just to keep their fathers' eyes on her rather than on Jacob, who was having a terrible time hiding his aroused state.

Now she is the one moaning into his mouth. She knows she needs to be quieter, but Jacob is shoving the seam of her jeans right against her clitoris, and the stimulation is almost as good as it is when they're naked. He separates just long enough to shush her again. She tries, but after a few more thrusts of his hips she is whimpering again. He pulls away from the wall, keeping her securely in his arms, and simply steps out the back door, calling out to their fathers in a surprisingly steady voice, "We're going outside for a bit." Bella faintly notices them yelling at the screen and the umpire rather than replying to Jacob. Hopefully this means they will be occupied for a while.

As soon as the door slams shut, he has her pressed up against the siding right next to the door. They are slightly protected under the porch and by the trees, but the sun isn't anywhere near setting. At least they aren't directly overlooking another house from here. It doesn't matter. He can't wait, and neither can she.

He grinds against her longer, making them moan into each other's mouths, until he starts kissing his way along her neck, licking a path along her exposed clavicle. He pulls aside her shirt far enough to lap at the mark on her shoulder, and electricity shoots from the mark right down to her core. "Jacob," she moans into his ear. He lightly drags across the area with his teeth, and she gasps. He smells the rush of arousal it produces. This time, she twists her pelvis to increase the pressure on her clitoris.

He pulls back to look at her, and she has her head tilted back against the house, her arms wrapped around his neck, her eyes shut, brow furrowed. She's biting her bottom lip tightly. His eyes drift downward. He can see the outline of her nipples displayed prominently under her tight shirt. That's it. He has no choice.

He sets her down gently, cups the back of her head, and tilts her head so he can access her ear. He runs his tongue along the shell, and then kisses the sensitive spot just behind her ear. Softly, he murmurs, "You've been teasing me all night. We're done playing now. I'm taking you, Bella, right here and right now."

Her knees almost buckle beneath her, but he holds her upright. She wants it. Badly. He kisses her, hard, and unbuttons her pants, getting a little tangled with her as she reaches to pull his shirt up. He doesn't want to stop tasting her, but has to let go long enough to whip his shirt over his head and pull her pants down and off. When he stands back up she reaches for his fly as he pulls out his wallet. As she unzips him and he springs free, as usual not wearing underwear, Bella quirks an eyebrow at him. "Were you planning on seducing me tonight, Jacob?"

She takes the condom from him, rips open the wrapper, and as she unrolls it onto him, he replies in a low growl, "Yes. I absolutely fucking was." And without bothering to lower his shorts any further, he lifts her up by grabbing her ass with his large hands, backs her against the wall as she wraps her legs around him, shoves her panties to the side, and buries himself in to the hilt.

She moans involuntarily, much too loudly considering they're outside, and their fathers are just a couple rooms away, and her head falls back against the wall with a little thump. He silences her with a hot, open-mouthed kiss, and then murmurs into her mouth, "You're such a naughty girl, Bella. You want this, don't you?"

She nods. She needs him, and badly. It's pleasure, it's pain, and it's wonderful. She burns with him. She is full of him. Even though he isn't moving yet, her pleasure points are all being stimulated at once, just from his single thrust. Gravity, plus his incredible size, have him incredibly deep and shoving hard against her cervix, as well as that spot low within her that makes her crazy. His pubic bone is rubbing firmly against her clitoris, which is engorged and pulsing. It's amazing.

He tips his head back just far enough to look her in the eye. "You really have to be quiet. I want to fuck you until you come, and come hard, and that's not gonna happen if you bring the neighborhood out, okay?"

She whimpers quietly and bites her lower lip, and nods. He zeroes in on her mouth and captures it in another kiss. His wolf is relatively tame right now. Taking over as sole Alpha has calmed it somewhat. So tonight, despite needing to be in her so badly that he's taking her against the wall of her own house, in daylight no less, he has enough control to wait until she has adjusted to his size. His voice is a harsh whisper. "Are you ready for me, baby? Are you ready for me to fuck you?"

She whispers a small, "Please," so he pulls out just a little, and thrusts back in hard. She closes her eyes and sees stars.

"Naughty girl," he repeats. He realizes quickly that although he is certainly strong enough to lift her up and down on his cock, he will scrape her up on the siding. So instead he keeps her firmly planted against the wall, and pumps his hips up into her. She is so, so tight in this position. And gravity's assistance means that every time he pumps in, a shockwave of pleasure shoots through his cock and throughout his body.

The first few thrusts are slow but very, very firm. Each time he buries his cock in her, she can't help but let out a tiny whimper. The simultaneous pressure on her clit and inside her sensitive walls is overwhelming. He pulls out a little further, slowly, and then slams back in. And again. And again. Drawing tiny whimpers from her throat, and finally capturing them with his own mouth. She shakes with pleasure, and with the effort to keep her legs wrapped around his waist.

The sounds she makes, tiny and quiet as they are, make him crazy. He is fucking her so hard and so well that she can't actually stay silent like she needs to, and the knowledge that he has her so far out of control is maddening. He can't believe she's letting him fuck her out here. His sweet Bells is turning out to be a deeply sexual being, wild beyond anything his feeble imagination had conjured up.

He pauses briefly, relishing the pulse of her cunt around his cock, and murmurs again, his hot breath on her ear sending shivers down her spine. "Naughty girl. Teasing me all night. You like it when I fuck you, out here where anybody can see."

She whimpers, "Yes... Unh... Jacob... Yes..." as he resumes slamming into her.

While he still has the ability to do it, he examines her, memorizes what she looks like right now. Her cheeks are bright and flushed, her eyes hooded and seductive as she gazes up at him, lovely pink lips full, parted, and panting, with little grunting moans slipping out with each pound of his cock. He can still see the outline of her nipples through her shirt if he leans back enough, and her breasts shake with each slam of his hard cock. And she still smells and tastes of vanilla and strawberries and sex. She is heaven.

He picks up his pace. He normally prefers a slow build, to torture her to incredible heights of arousal. He likes to take his time with his lips on her clit or his fingers buried in her pussy, making her come time after time after time, working her into a frenzy before he finally, finally slides home. But it's not necessary tonight, she is right on the edge anyway. That he is this desperate for her, this needy of her body, makes her feel powerful and wild. And he has been on the edge since he picked her up and put her on the counter, before she even finished making dinner.

He pulls out as far as he is able, and he slams back in. All the way. She gasps, and her mouth drops open. "Naughty girl," he whispers. He does it again. Faster and harder each time. And each time she gasps just a little bit louder, until she is almost loud enough that someone will hear.

"You have... unh... to be... unh... quiet... unh..." He whispers in between thrusts. She squeezes her lips closed in an attempt to stay silent as he pounds her into the wall, but frantic grunts and whimpers still escape.

She is so close. The only reason she hasn't already orgasmed already is that she is concentrating too hard on not screaming, and it's taking her out of the moment. "Jacob... aah... I'm going... aah... I have..."

Her heat, her taste, her scent, her tight, tight pussy, and her desperation have Jacob nearly undone. "Sweet... Naughty... Pussy... Yes... Mmh... Yes... Unh... Do it... Mmm... Bells... Come... come now!" And with that, the sound of his harsh whisper and the pressure of his cock filling her entirely, she is spasming and coming and exploding around him, endlessly, hard, seeing stars. And the only thing she can do to keep from screaming out her pleasure is to sink her teeth deep into the skin of his shoulder.

It is ecstasy. Her teeth marking him, the sweet sting a mirror image of the mark he left on her, push him over the edge, and he follows right after her with a startled gasp, exploding, exploding, and exploding against her.

Jacob slides down to his knees, settling her on his lap, still inside her as deep as he can go. He rests his forehead against hers while they catch their breath. She occasionally has little aftershocks of her orgasm that make her clench around him and cause them both to groan. He is still hard inside her, and the aftershocks cause his sensitive cock to pulse and throb, which in turn send further waves of pleasure shooting up her spine. She arches and moans with the sensation.

He grabs her hips and twists her against him, rubbing against her clitoris firmly. Her back arches as she moans quietly. "My naughty little girl wants more, doesn't she?" His whisper is harsh in her ear.

"Yes, Jacob, please don't stop," she breathes. He pinches a nipple through her shirt, and she begs, "Please, Jacob, I need more." She leans forward to lick the bite mark with the tip of her tongue, and he gasps again. The sensation is electric.

"You like..." He lifts her up a little with a firm grip. "...that anyone..." He slams her down, causing her to gasp. "...could find you..." He grinds against her clitoris. "...out here..." He lifts her again. "...fucking me..." And slams her back down. "...riding me..." He grinds again. "...like the naughty.." He lifts her. "...little..." He slams her. "...vixen..." He grinds. "...you are."

She groans, "Yesss."

He lifts her. "You want..." He slams her. "...everyone..." He grinds. "...to know..." He lifts her. "...I'm yours..." He slams her. "...so you..." He grinds. "...marked me..." He lifts her. "It feels so..." He slams her. "...goddamn..." He grinds. "...fucking..." He lifts her. "...good." He slams her. "You..." He grinds. "...make me..." He lifts her. "...lose my..." He slams her. "...fucking..." He grinds. "...mind."

She breathes a moaning sigh. His words drive her as crazy as her bite drives him. "More, Jacob. Harder. Please. You feel so good," she whispers.

He lifts her higher. "Tell me..." He slams her down harder. "...what feels..." He grinds more firmly. "...good." He lifts her even more. "Tell me..." He slams her down. "...what you..." He grinds. "...need." He lifts her so high he almost pulls out. "I'll give you..." He slams her back down. "...anything..." He grinds. "...I have."

He makes her crazy with need. She doesn't know what has come over her tonight. Jake makes her wild. She can't believe the things that come out of her mouth, but they're true. "You, Jake. I need your cock. Fuck me hard with your big cock."

He groans, louder than he should, and slams her back against the wall. He prays their fathers don't decide to investigate the sound, but there is no way he's stopping now. He keeps his knees planted on the porch, and this low down she can get leverage by keeping her feet on the floor. He keeps her firmly planted against the wall, pulls out almost all the way, and pounds back in as hard as he can.

It is frenzied and uncontrolled. His thrusts are frantic, the rhythm broken and uneven. But he is deep. So deep. And she is tight, so tight, and wet, and they are both wild with need. He repeats the motion again, and again, and again, pounding against her cervix, slamming against her clit, her walls aching and stretching around him. She moans and gasps and pleads, and he tries to silence her with his mouth on hers, but his thrusting makes it impossible to keep his lips on hers. So she lowers her lips to the mark she left on his shoulder, already nearly healed, licks the spot with her tongue, and as he slams into her, she bites down again, hard, drawing blood.

It is pure bliss, and he comes hard, pumping up and shoving her down on his shaft as hard as he can, gasping into her ear. The heat, the pulsing of his cock deep within her, the pressure of his pubic bone on her cervix, and most of all, his uncontrolled desperation, trigger her own release. So as soon as she starts to wail and clench around him, he captures his lips with hers and absorbs her cries with his tongue. They stay vibrating against one another as she shatters, and then slowly comes back down.

They have almost forgotten where they are until they hear Charlie coming into the kitchen. Bella jumps off Jacob suddenly and scrambles to put on her pants, while Jacob tosses the condom into the bushes and buttons up his shorts. He can hear Charlie getting a glass of water for Billy and returning to the game. Bella nearly topples over in her half dressed state.

By the time their fathers come out to find them, Jacob has disposed of the prophylactic properly and they are fully dressed and sitting side by side on the steps of the porch, leaning together, shoulders touching. They are murmuring in low tones. He has explained his suspicions of the rogue vampire's powers, and has questioned her closely about her interaction between herself and the dead UPS deliveryman. He is more and more certain the rogue vampire is somehow responsible for both his death and Bella's vision. "What really worries me is that you held that box, and saw the truck."

"I never actually saw the truck, I don't think."

"Huh," he ponders, when they hear Charlie's voice behind them.

"Game's going into extra innings. You guys okay out here a while longer?"

They turn around and agree, and faintly hear Billy telling Charlie, "I told you nothing's going on out there. The kids are just talking."

"My ass that's all they're doing!" Charlie replies with a laugh.

Jacob and Bella both snicker, and then Bella leans over and leans her head on Jacob's shoulder. Jacob tells Bella what happened when he was gone. He keeps talking, and soon reaches the end of the story and is telling her about his transformation into an Alpha.

"It was strange. I've always chafed a little under Sam's orders, but when he told me to back off, I got so angry. I was so scared that something might happen to you before I could get home, and I wasn't sure if those vampires were involved or not. And I was sick and tired of playing it safe. I just had to rip them apart. So I did. And in the process of defying Sam's direct order, I became an Alpha. Separate from his pack. Leah joined me within minutes. Seth a bit later."

Bella is sort of stunned. She knows Jacob's wolf is big, strong, and fast. But she has seen vampires in action, felt James' razor sharp teeth in her skin, watched the blur of fighting when Edward and Seth took down Victoria and Riley. She can't quite believe that her sweet, happy Jacob killed four vampires on his own, without the support of his pack.

But then she remembers his Alpha voice commanding her the night before, how he ordered her to ride him, and how she felt compelled to obey. Not to mention that just minutes ago, he screwed her against the wall of her house. She blushes at the memory, and he stops to stare at her. She traces his now clean-shaven jaw with her finger and meets his dark, serious eyes. He leans in to kiss her, but it is gentle and sweet rather than hard and dominating. His hands slip around her to cup the base of her skull and wrap around her waist. And this kiss keeps going, melting her heart. Soft, tender, and loving. And she knows that no matter where he goes, no matter who he grows into, no matter the new challenges that life throws at him, if she can stay by his side, she will always be able to find this Jacob. Her Jacob. The boy who fell in love with her, who took her broken heart and pieced it back together, who put a smile back on her face, and who saved her from herself.

Eventually he pulls away. He presses his forehead against hers as they both breathe heavily. "You're gonna be the death of me, Bells. I wanna push you up against that wall again, or bend you over this step, but we'd definitely get caught. It's gonna be so hard to wait until I can be inside you again."

She teases him, "How did you survive before last night, Jake?"

He looks at her with burning eyes. "Fantasies about you. And I touched myself while I thought about you. Thought about the ways I'd touch you. Ways I'd make you come." She gulps. She saw him once in their dreams, grabbing his thick, long cock in his fist. It was, hands down, the hottest thing she had ever seen. She wants to see it again. As usual, he can read her like a book. "Sometime soon I'll show you. And you're going to show me." He runs the tip of his tongue along her bottom lip, and then plunges his tongue into her mouth before pulling back and whispering, "The things I want to do to you, Bells."

He jumps back as he hears Charlie opening the refrigerator. "He's just getting another beer," he explains.

She leans away from her and smooths her hair with her hands. He has her totally worked up again, but they have to calm down. The game could end any minute now, sending Billy and Charlie out to find them. "Tell me the rest, Jake."

He clears his throat and leans back against the porch leaning back on his elbows, and stretches his legs out in front of him, and launches back into the story. She is fascinated by the way he alternated between fighting the vampires and talking to Edward through Leah's mind. And she laughs when he tells her about starting a fire with no matches. He is clearly much prouder of this feat than singlehandedly killing four vampires. Then she asks him about the pack. He shrugs and replies that everyone took his arrival and leadership in stride, except Paul. "You know how you thought I could 'probably' kick his ass?"

She smiles, "Yeah?"

"I can kick his ass."

And they are both laughing when Charlie comes out with a smile on his face. "Everyone's in a good mood, huh? Us too. Reed got on second with two outs, bottom of the eleventh, no one on base, one run down, and Suzuki put him through with a homer. I think your dad is ready to go, Jake. Don't let him drive. He's a little drunk." Charlie sways a little in the doorway. "Don't let me drive either. I'm a little drunk too."

Billy calls out from inside, "But he's drunker than me! I'm ready to go home, son, so kiss your girlfriend goodbye and let's go! Make sure to do it in front of Charlie. It makes him really uncomfortable." Which is a perfect way to get Jacob to not kiss Bella.

They settle for a small hug, during which he whispers in her ear, "I can't stay tonight. I have to patrol. But I'll kiss you goodnight, okay? Leave your window open."

After Jacob packs Billy and the wheelchair into their black Ford truck, Bella sees Charlie leaning in the front doorway, smiling at her. He looks more relaxed than he ever has. "You're happy, Bells." It isn't a question.

She nods. "I am."

"I'm glad. Jacob's a good boy. He treats you well." He straightens up, and in a much more serious tone, says, "You treat him well, too, okay?" Bella thinks he isn't nearly as drunk as he and Billy let on. She doesn't know what to say, so she just nods again. She doesn't have a good track record with Jacob, but she honestly desires never to break his heart again.

So she heads up to room, and finally breaks down and calls Renee to tell her about her breakup with Edward. Leah was right. Her mother really isn't upset that her eighteen year old daughter isn't getting married. She does sound relieved. And she also thinks Bella must have been pregnant, just like Leah thought. Bella protests, "Mom, Edward and I never did anything that could get me pregnant. Not even close." Renee doesn't sound convinced.

"Are you at least being safe, honey?"

She supposes there is no point in arguing. Even if she never did anything with Edward, she has already been with Jacob several times, and they have only been together for about a day. Resigned, she says, "I'm on the pill."

Renee sighs in relief. "I'm glad, baby. You know you're the best thing that ever happened to me, right? But it wouldn't have hurt if you'd joined us just a little bit later. Are you doing okay? After the breakup?" Charlie had clued Renee in on how upset Bella was after the first break, so she was understandably worried.

"I hate that I hurt him."

"That just means you're a good person. It isn't supposed to be easy. But it was still the right thing to do. Are you going to take a little break from boys?"

"Um, actually I'm sort of seeing someone else."

There is a long pause. "Oh. May I ask who?"

"Jacob Black."

Renee laughs. "Billy's boy? Charlie must be thrilled."

"He's good to me, mom."

Renee's voice is warm. "Then I'm happy for you. Love you, sweetie. Thanks for telling me."

"Love you too, mom. Night."

Afterward, Bella opens her window and goes to shower. When she returns, Jacob is sprawled across her bed. Shirtless, sexy, and inviting. He gives her a lazy smile and pulls her down on him.

"I'm here for your goodnight kiss." He murmurs against her neck.

"Are you sure you can't stay tonight? I want you. Again." She asks a little breathlessly.

He flips her over so that he's on top, and tugs at the tie on her bathrobe, letting it fall open. He eyes her damp body hungrily. She smells of her vanilla and strawberry bodywash, and his eyes leave trails of heat up and down her body.

His voice is husky. "You know I want to, Bells." He kisses each nipple softly. "I want you too. So bad." He nuzzles his nose into her navel, and rests his cheek on her belly. "Or even just to fall asleep in your arms." He kisses her left hip, and then her right. Then he leans up and closes her robe, tying it shut. She pouts in disappointment, so he leans over her and draws her plump lip into his mouth and suckles. "But I have to keep you safe. And I'm patrolling your place tonight, and if I lose myself in your body, bury myself in your sweet pussy, I won't be paying attention. I won't be keeping you safe."

He kisses her deeply and slowly, and then sits back on his heels. "It won't always be like this, I promise. Once I have a handle on what's going on, once I've made up the patrols I missed when I was gone, and once I kill that bloodsucker, just try to keep me out of your room."

"Then will you stay until I fall asleep?" She holds her arms open.

He can't resist, and embraces her. Then he rolls over so that she is tucked into the crook of his arm, and kisses her forehead. "After you fall asleep, I'll be outside, just in the treeline, all night. Okay?"

She snuggles into his warmth. "Mmm. Night, Jake." She sleeps heavily, and without dreams.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Thursday

X-x-x-x-X

When Bella wakes in the morning, she rolls over to a crinkling sound beneath her head. She peers blearily at a handwritten note from Jacob in his scratchy handwriting.

_You're beautiful when you sleep. I love you. I want to take you on a real date. Be ready at five. Yours, Jake. P.S. I have no money, so this will be a cheap date._

She grins to herself and buries her face in her pillow. It smells very faintly of Jacob. She wants to stay in bed longer, but has to go to work.

When she goes downstairs, she notices Leah leaning against the banister on the front porch. She grabs an extra travel mug of coffee and steps out. "Morning." Leah greets her.

"Good morning. Coffee?" Leah accepts, and they walk to Bella's truck.

"I'm surprised you can walk this morning, Swan. Figured you'd be kind of bowlegged by now."

Bella almost spits out her coffee. Indignantly, she says, "He didn't even stay last night. Said he needed to patrol. Didn't you see that?"

Leah is smirking. "Of course. But he is so damn horny for you, Swan. Always has been, and never was able to hide that. Not even when we didn't all share a brain. He's gonna nail you to the wall first chance he gets." Bella blushes, but Leah thinks she is just embarrassed. "But there's this conspicuous blank spot in the memories he lets us see. Odd, since it was supposedly just dinner time."

Bella is relieved, and her skin returns to its normal, pale color. She really wasn't looking forward to the entire pack being privy to her sex life. It was bad enough that they heard her moaning in her sleep. They don't need to know what she and Jake actually do, although if any of them was behind her house yesterday, they got a free live show.

"Was anyone patrolling here in the afternoon?"

Leah gives her a sidelong glance. "No, he sent Collin home. He figured why make him watch you all eat dinner together while he starves. You know, you and your dads."

Bella keeps her hands on the steering wheel, and her eyes straight ahead. It doesn't help. She blushes again despite herself.

"If it weren't for the fact that your fathers were around, I'd have thought he sent Collin away so he could have a booty call." Leah looks straight at her and narrows her eyes. Bella blushes harder. "Wait! He did!" Leah frowns. "But your dads were there. That much I gathered from Jake's thoughts. Didn't they notice you sneaking up to your room?"

Bella says, very quietly, "We didn't go up there."

"Where, then? The laundry room? Out in the car? Outside?" Bella's furious blush gives her away.

Leah's stare is boring into her. "The back porch," Bella mutters.

Leah's eyes widen. "He totally did nail you to the wall!"

Bella bites her bottom lip. She can't believe she is having this conversation. Then again, Leah already knows basically all her embarrassing secrets, so what's one more? "Twice," she whispers.

Leah snorts with amusement. "You were a virgin thirty six hours ago. I pegged you as a prudish kinkster, what with the simultaneous celibacy and necrophilia and all, but I wouldn't have guessed you were a nympho and an exhibitionist to boot."

Bella raises her voice. "Hey! Nobody saw us! And Edward's not a corpse!"

Leah barks out a laugh. "Yes, he is so a corpse. And you might not have been spotted yesterday, but the night before was a whole other story."

Bella groans. "Oh. No. Did Jake let something slip?"

"No, not at all. Now that he's Alpha, he has pretty good control of what we can and can't see. Paul heard you. Came to look. I was coming home, and I caught him."

"What did he see?" Bella whispers.

"See? Nothing. Me neither, thank god. I dragged him away before either one of us saw anything. But heard, well, that's another story. You guys are loud. I wanted to poke my eardrums out with knitting needles, or maybe bleach my brain afterward." Bella swerves a little in the road, but luckily there is no traffic. "And who'd have thought sweet little Jacob Black was a Dom? After all the crap he took from you, I'd have thought he was a Sub, or maybe just a masochist. Guess it must be the Alpha coming out."

Bella just groans. She wants to shut her eyes and hide, but would just end up driving into tree. Maybe that would be a good alternative.

Leah smirks at Bella's obvious discomfort. This is just too easy. "Anyway, sounded like a hell of a first time."

Bella finally laughs. It's only that, or cry. She chokes out, "It was! And thanks, you were right about the condoms!" And Leah joins her in laughing. They are still laughing when they arrive at Newton's. Mike looks appreciatively at Leah in a very obvious way as she and Bella make plans to meet for lunch.

Mike is still staring at the spot Leah has vacated for long seconds. Bella notices. "That was Seth's sister." Mike blinks blankly. "The guy who picked me up yesterday."

He finds his voice. "She was here the other day, wasn't she? I didn't really notice her then because..." He trails off. They both know that he means because he was too stunned after watching Bella's reunion with a guy that wasn't her fiancé.

"She's noticeable, isn't she?" Bella tries not to smirk. Mike just nods.

About five minutes later, he quietly asks, "Is she seeing anyone?"

Bella shakes her head. "I don't think so. How's Jessica?" Bella can never keep up with the status of their relationship.

Mike just shrugs noncommittally, but looks guilty. "Not sure. Heard she had a date last week."

Bella cautions, "Don't think you can use Leah to make Jessica jealous. Leah would make mincemeat out of both of you. You don't use a woman like that."

Mike has the good graces to look shocked. He mutters to himself, but Bella can sort of hear him, "A woman like that uses you. And you like it." Bella barely manages to hide her snort.

When Leah comes by during her lunch hour, Mike isn't any more subtle in his staring, but doesn't say anything. Leah asks Bella about it after they get out of earshot. "What's up with him? He was looking at me all weird," she asks.

"A crush, I think."

Leah scoffs. "I could crush him, if that's what you mean. He's short and creepy, and he looks like a baby."

Bella laughs as she buys them sandwiches. "He's almost six feet tall, he's cute, and he's a nice guy. You're just always surrounded by giant demi-gods."

"You should talk! You ever date anyone who isn't a freak of nature?"

Bella has to admit that she hasn't. Leah asks if Mike ever asked her out.

"Well, yes," she admits reluctantly.

"And?" Leah prompts, as they find a bench to sit on and begin eating their lunches.

"I turned him down."

She's not getting off the hook so easily. "Because?"

"I don't know. There's nothing wrong with him, exactly. Although he's kind of boring."

"Exactly. And we all know you're only interested in dangerous guys. You're an adrenaline junkie, Swan, admit it."

Bella protests. "Jake's not dangerous! And Edward would never hurt me!"

Pointedly, Leah pulls up Bella's sleeve, where a grip mark is slowly fading. "What's that, then? And you're right that Jake won't hurt you, but you're dreaming if you think he isn't dangerous." Leah smirks and amends herself. "Let me correct that. Jake won't hurt you unless you want him to." Bella blushes bright red. "And we all know you're turning out to be one kinky freak, Swan." Bella bursts out laughing and throws a pickle slice at Leah, who whips her head around and catches it in her mouth smugly. Leah continues, snickering at Bella, "You'd better hope Quil doesn't find out about your sex life. Otherwise you'll have that perv trying to sneak a peek just like Paul the other night." Leah laughs out loud and finally agrees to stop harassing her when Bella starts pelting her with ketchup and mustard packets.

When they finally calm down a minute later, Bella asks, "Quil's not really a freak, right?" He seems too sweet and goofy.

"Nah," Leah sighs. "More of a eunuch ever since he imprinted on Claire. He lets on as if he hasn't been emasculated, but it's all for show. He actually watches more porn now than he ever did before, but we all know he's trying to regain his lost masculinity. And failing."

Bella looks at Leah askance. "Can I say that the whole Claire thing creeps me out?"

"You're not the only one. But he really doesn't have any creepy feelings toward her, just big brother ones. And he does have the mental and emotional capacity of a four year old, so that matches," Leah jokes.

"Jake says he's going to date her when she grows up, though?"

"Maybe. It's what the old legends imply."

"Ugh."

"Yeah." Leah pauses, then sees an opening. "You know what's creepier? A hundred year old dead thing seducing a teenaged girl."

"He's not dead!"

"Okay, let's pretend he's not dead for a minute. How old is he?"

"Seventeen."

"If he's seventeen, then I'm a fetus!"

"Seventeen and... Ninety."

"See! That's much, much creepier! He should find someone his own age! He'll still have to find a younger woman, mind you. Betty White, maybe. She's still spry. Or Sophia Loren, who has held up awfully well. Joan Rivers could teach him a thing or two."

Bella coughs a surprised laugh. "He offered, you know."

"To leave you alone and date Joan Rivers?"

Bella rolls her eyes. "To leave me human and love me anyway. To be together for the rest of my natural life. It's what he originally said he wanted."

Leah is just confused now. "Like, for a few years he'll pose as your boyfriend, and then pretend to be your son, and eventually pretend to be your grandson? And supposedly be madly in love with you the whole time?"

"That's why I wanted to be turned! Because that's just ridiculous!"

"Thank god you figured out those weren't your only two options! I can't see it. What's so great about them anyway? Besides the money, I mean."

"Um, the living forever part?"

"Thank you, no. Not a good thing, living forever."

"Easy to say that when you get to live forever."

"You think I'm going to stick around like this for eternity? Watch everyone I care about get old and die, and I'll just hang around? Nuh uh."

"The rest of the pack doesn't age either."

"Everyone will stop eventually. You think Jared is going to stay young forever while Kim gets old? And they aren't the only ones I care about. Not to mention that I hope to someday have other people that matter to me. Meet a guy, maybe. I'm stopping as soon as I can. Besides, what would you do with all that time?"

"Carlisle is a doctor. A good one. He helps people every day. I admire him. I admire them."

Leah looks skeptical. "And the others? Jake told me they just go to high school over and over again? Most of us would consider that to be some kind of Hell."

"Mostly, but they travel sometimes, go to college. Some of them have been to med school."

"Do they get jobs sometimes? Practice medicine like Dr. Fang?"

Bella squirms a little. "Well, no. They look a little young for that."

"That's a lame excuse. So what, then. Go to school, sometimes travel a bit?"

"Edward is an excellent pianist."

"Does he perform? Put out an album?"

"Um, not that I know of."

"So their grand contribution to the world is one doctor and a bunch of eternal high school students?"

Bella tries to defend them. "Well, it's a real accomplishment for them to be integrated into human life. It's difficult for them to resist the temptation of blood."

"Do they always resist?"

"They're vegetarians. You know that."

"We know what happens when they're here, we hope. They're not usually here. Have any of them ever killed anyone? Besides the first one turning the others?"

"Not normally."

"Which is to say, yes." Now Bella is really uncomfortable. She nods. Leah replies, "So their big accomplishment is that they have one contributing member of society, and the others don't murder people most of the time."

Bella just nods again. What else is there to say? Leah crumples up her sandwich wrapper. "Well, they sound positively charming."

The rest of the day passes without incident. Leah avoids going back into Newton's so as to not run into Mike.

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob has spent an uneventful night outside Bella's house. Her deep, even breathing, easily heard through her open window, reassures and calms him. He isn't sure if he's relieved that the rogue newborn hasn't shown itself since he has come home. A large part of him wants the thing to come out so he can kill it and be done with it. But he is also terribly uncomfortable that the only place he knows to wait for it is here in Forks, with Bella essentially serving as bait. Again. He would prefer never to leave her side, but he does have other obligations. Not to mention, he watched Edward Cullen smother her for months, and has no intention of making the same mistake. So as soon as he phases in, he arranges for a meeting with Carlisle Cullen for early the next morning.

As soon as Leah arrives to accompany Bella to work, he meets Sam and heads for the treaty line. They phase back to human and wait. Minutes later, Carlisle arrives, accompanied by Alice. Jacob nods at each of them in turn. Carlisle appears relaxed, and Alice, as usual, looks jittery. Jacob isn't sure what makes him more uncomfortable. The vampires' usual stock-still, unmoving figures, stony and dead, or Alice's constant nervous energy, totally unlike that of her kin.

Carlisle steps forward and looks between Sam and Jacob. He extends an open hand to Jacob, and his expression is open and calm. "Jacob, you've grown a bit since we last saw you. You look well. Does that mean what I think it does?"

Jacob shakes his hand firmly. He manages to hide his distaste at the doctor's cold, hard skin, and awful dead smell. If he has a comfort level with any vampire in existence, it's this one, who reset his broken bones when he was injured. He nods, and then steps back. "It does. I've taken over as Alpha. Sam remains my second."

Conversationally, Carlisle notes, "You look quite a bit like your grandfather. He was a good man. I think you will grow up to be the same."

"We are here to renew his treaty. And to amend it, if possible."

Carlisle actually looks a bit surprised. "Amend it?"

Jacob's voice drops, a hint of a growl entering, "Your... son... scared Bella. He bruised her. He still means to turn her."

Carlisle quickly glance at Alice, who nods sadly. She pipes up, "I saw the marks on her arms, Carlisle."

"I believe you had an understanding that since Bella wanted to be turned, that this would not be a violation of the treaty. An understanding I disagreed with in the first place. And Bella has made it quite clear to me and to... Edward," he spits out the name, "that she no longer wants to be turned. You and your family need to understand that any threat to her life will not be tolerated."

Carlisle nods. "We will not turn her against her will. But should she change her mind?"

Jacob narrows his eyes and steps toward Carlisle, slowly and deliberately. "She will not change her mind." Carlisle sees that there is no point in venturing down that path of conversation with Jacob. "And had he changed her, she would have regretted it forever." Carlisle looks to Alice, who nods again in sad confirmation. "I saw it. She would have been so unhappy. If Edward... If we had never left, things would have been different..." she trails off.

Jacob continues. "You know better than I do that to be turned cannot be reversed. And you know that your kind can have a hold over humans that is unnatural and unhealthy. Some may seek to be turned out of naivety or because they are manipulated by someone like Edward, as Bella was, or for their own nefarious purposes. In the future, I would like to amend the treaty that you change no one, even if they seek it, at least when you are near our lands."

"I would like to talk this over with my family."

Jacob expected this and nods. "And your plans?"

"Our plans remain otherwise unchanged. My appointment at the hospital ends shortly, and then the entire family will be moving as scheduled. It would be difficult for me to leave before the end of my term; there are shifts at work that no one can cover on such short notice."

Sam steps in, asking the question Jacob really wants the answer to. "And Edward? Why is he still here?"

Alice and Carlisle look at one another uneasily. Alice pipes in, "Edward really isn't speaking to anyone right now. He thinks that Jacob cast some kind of a spell on Bella to capture her."

"Ironic," Jacob mutters under his breath.

Alice notices, and continues, "He needs to be around Jasper right now. Jasper can keep him calm. Emmett is staying with him as well, just to be safe. It's better for everyone, Bella included, that Edward not be on his own right now. I've seen what happens if we send him off by himself. You don't want us to do that, Jacob."

Jacob's voice is hard. "And you can control him? There is already one vampire after Bella right now. We don't need another, especially one who can read everyone's mind."

Carlisle steps back in. "About that. What can you tell us about the other vampire?"

Sam replies, "We were hoping you could tell us. Do you know anything?"

Carlisle and Alice both shake their heads. Alice states, "I don't know who I'm looking for, so I can't see anything."

Jacob answers, "It was definitely present at the newborn battle. The scent originated from there. It's a female, small, with dark hair. I saw it from a distance as it was diving under the water. It has some kind of power to project visions. A power we don't understand."

Carlisle frowns. "Project visions?"

"It made me see something that wasn't there. Another vampire. Two, in fact, on two different occasions. They were clearly meant as distractions, meant to throw me off the main trail." He glances at Sam. "And I think it made Bella see a vision of a dead man."

Carlisle shakes his head. "That doesn't ring any bells for me. I'll let you know if I find anything out. And Alice will keep an eye out." She nods in agreement. "We'll keep Edward out of her way, and soon we'll be moving on."

Jacob nods. It is the most he can hope to accomplish, at least today. At a later date, he would like to ask them to never come back. But for that he needs to talk to the council first, and there is no reason to think that Carlisle will agree. Jacob has nothing to hold over him.

As they are about to go their separate ways, Alice calls back, "Jacob?" He turns and faces her. "She's still my friend. I miss her."

Jacob rolls his eyes. What's with all the melodrama? "Then give her a call. She's probably free in the afternoon after work, before I take her out tonight."

Alice bounces up and down. "Okay!" And then she's gone.

When Jacob gets home, Quil and Embry are at his kitchen table waiting for him. The house smells like breakfast that his father cooked for him, but there is nothing left. Quil still has some bacon stuffed into his mouth.

"Hey, did you guys eat my breakfast?"

Quil replies, "It us us ittig ear!"

Embry grins, "He's right. It was just sitting here."

Quil swallows. "What did you expect us to do? Let precious food go to waste? You know there are starving children in Africa who could live another week on the abandoned food on your table alone."

Indignantly, he replies, "It wasn't abandoned. I was coming to eat it right now!"

Quil leans back in his chair looking very satisfied. "Survival of the fittest, man. If you can't fight for your dinner, you don't deserve it."

Jacob narrows his eyes in mock anger and places his hands on his hips. "Are you challenging your Alpha to a fight over his food?" He steps to the open door to the backyard.

Quil leaps up. "Hell, yeah! If I win, I get to take over as Alpha, and I don't have to take another stinking order from you!"

Jacob laughs, "I haven't issued you a single order!" Embry steps up from the table and looks out the window into the backyard, and snorts back a laugh.

Quil rips his shirt off and throws it on the ground. "And you never will!"

Jacob nods. "Fine. We'll fight for the title. What do I get when I win?"

Quil unbuckles his belt and opens his fly. "The right to boss me around."

"I already have that."

"Tough nuts! That's the only offer on the table, buddy! Take it or leave it!"

Jacob nods, feigning seriousness, and gestures toward the open door. "Then after you." Embry tries hard not to laugh as he positions himself to see the action outside.

Quil drops his shorts to the floor and strides out the back door, ready to phase. "Then prepare to be owned, Black!" He walks straight toward Jacob's elderly neighbor who is cutting through the back yard on her way to her house. He freezes mid-stride when he sees her.

She tips her head to the side and waves. "Morning, son." She calls out, unperturbed.

Quil squeaks out, "Morning, ma'am," and tries to hide himself with his hands.

"Oh, don't stop on account of little old me. On your way somewhere?"

Quil feels his nether regions shrinking in on themselves. "Uh, sort of."

She nods and continues on her way. "Have Jacob lend you a pair of pants. There's probably some old clothes of his that he's outgrown you'd probably fit into. Still a little chilly out here, I'd say."

He backs toward the door. He can't figure out if it's worse to moon her by turning around, but isn't sure if his hands are properly covering his front. It doesn't really matter, because his ass bumps into the closed door. He jiggles at the knob frantically, but it doesn't budge, so he turns around and pounds on the surface to the sound of howling laughter from the inside. By the time they let him in, the little old lady is nowhere to be seen, and his entire body is bright red with embarrassment.

Jacob opens the door, and chokes out, "Hey man, you're blushing as hard as Bella!"

Embry spits out among gales of laughter, "And your balls have retracted so far into your body that you've basically formed a vagina like her too!"

"Hey!" Jacob protests the reference to his girlfriend, and smacks Embry upside the head.

As Quil puts his clothes back on, Embry gasps for breath between laughing, and finally relaxes enough to point at Jake say, "And that, my friend, is why he's the Alpha."

Quil mutters, "Fine, fine. You got me back for eating your breakfast. But what about him?" He points at Embry. "He ate even more than I did!"

Jacob chuckles. "I don't think that trick will work a second time. But you can do me a favor." And he gives Embry some cash and a list of groceries and instructions in preparation for his date with Bella. Once they're gone, he fixes himself a quick breakfast, washes the scent of leech off himself, and gets a few hours of much needed rest.


	25. Chapter 25

Rating: MA for lemons

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X

Thursday

X-x-x-x-X

After work, Bella fields a call from Alice, who updates her on Jacob's meeting with them earlier in the afternoon. She finds out that Edward still isn't speaking to anyone, and that Jasper has been expending a great deal of energy to keep him calm. She had been thinking of seeing him, as she never wanted to sever all ties with him, but Alice warns her that it isn't a good idea, at least not yet. Bella still doesn't know what to do with his ring.

Promptly at five, Jacob knocks on her door. He has a bouquet of wildflowers in his hand and a bright smile on his face. After she puts the flowers down, he picks her up and gives her his signature bear hug, spins her around, and adds a sweet, soft kiss to her lips for good measure. "Mmmm," he sighs. "I'm so glad you're letting me kiss you. It used to be so hard to resist. And now that I know how good you taste, I just can't stop."

She wraps her legs around his waist since he still hasn't put her down. "Who says you need to resist?" She kisses him right back. When they finally break apart, she lowers her legs, but he still doesn't let go. "Is this going to be a habit? Not putting me down?"

He grins. "Yep. You're my baby monkey, remember?" He carries her to her truck, places her in the cab, and climbs into the driver's seat.

"Where are we going, Jake?"

"There's a spot I think you'll like." He doesn't elaborate. He drives toward LaPush and stops at his house, then pulls his motorcycle out of the garage. "It's easier to get to with this." He slings his leg over the seat and gestures with a nod of his head as he hands her a helmet. "Hop on." She struggles with the strap, so he adjusts it for her, and then they're off.

She clings to him. She doesn't actually need to hold on so tight, but she can't resist. She is finally where she belongs, and she doesn't want to let go. They first follow the same path they took when he taught her how to ride, but take a nearly invisible turn off. The path is narrow but well maintained, and is actually paved for quite bit of the way. The motorcycle fits, but a car would not. They wind their way along it until it is no longer passable by bike, and Jacob lifts Bella off the bike and starts carrying her bridal style down the trail. They are surrounded by lush forest.

"Hey, Jake?"

"Yeah, honey?"

"Why are you still carrying me?"

"Don't wanna let you go."

"Oh." She doesn't actually mind.

"Ever."

She smiles and leans against his shoulder. "Okay. Me neither."

It doesn't take long. Soon they emerge on a crescent shaped beach. The sky is overcast as usual, but they are lucky, and there is no rain. The ocean is calm and the forest is a deep green. It is absolutely beautiful. Now she knows where they are. "Third Beach. Strawberry Bay."

"Yep."

"I can't remember the last time I was here."

"I remember the last time we were here together."

She tips her head back to look at him as he walks. She is still secure in his arms. He has turned south toward the bluffs. "Remind me?"

"It was after my mom died, and I still didn't want to talk to anybody. But dad said you and Charlie were coming over, and I just couldn't turn down a chance to see you. We explored those tide pools." He gestures ahead of them with his chin.

Bella has a very faint recollection. "I remember starfish."

Jacob smiles sadly and nods. "I was really upset because there were a couple starfish in adjacent pools. They were really, really pretty. A bright shade of red with white striping. I thought they had been separated when the tide went out. I wasn't being subtle about my mom dying. Not at all. I didn't say why I was upset. It was too embarrassing. I knew it was stupid, that it wasn't true that the starfish were together or something, but I felt that way anyway. You figured it out on your own. I didn't tell you. But you moved the little starfish into the tide pool with the bigger one for me anyway."

"You remember all that?"

He says softly, "I remember everything, as long as you are in the memory. You were always really important to me, Bells. You wrote me a letter after my mom died." She remembers. She struggled for hours to find the right words. "I carried it with me for days, slept with it at night. It got so banged up that it turned into the consistency of tissue paper almost. It was comfort. I still have it, and every other letter you ever wrote to me." He clears his throat. "It's why Billy loves you so much. You were the only person who made me feel any better."

"Just like you," she replies.

He tilts his head and looks at her. "What do you mean?"

"You're the only one who made me feel any better. After Edward left. I know it's ridiculous to compare the two events, but the parallel is still there. It's why Charlie loves you so much, too."

"I hate him for the way he hurt you, but it sort of brought us together. Although I'm pretty sure we would have found our way together anyway. You were always so important to me."

He squeezes her more tightly, and she snuggles into his chest and breathes in his comforting scent. Soon they round a corner around a rocky prominence, and the already secluded beach becomes even more secluded. She hears the sound of pounding water, and as he sets her down she looks south and sees a waterfall plunging straight into the ocean.

"I forgot that was here! It's beautiful, Jake. Thanks for bringing me here." He kisses her forehead, and when he steps back she tears her eyes from the waterfall and takes in the area around her. Jacob has cleared the area of rocks, and piled blankets on the ground. A picnic basket and a cooler sits in the middle, and there are candles dotting the ground around them. They are all lit. "How did you get these lit, Jacob?"

He shrugs. "I had some help. I, um, won a little challenge this morning." He proceeds to tell her about his run in with Embry and Quil after they ate his breakfast. "So I got Quil back right away, but he got annoyed that I didn't get Embry back at all, and Embry ate half my food. So I figured Embry could pay me back by helping get this stuff set up. He's also up there keeping a lookout. It was his patrol anyway." Jacob gestures toward Taylor Point to the south. At her surprised look, he adds, "Don't worry, he's not looking right down on us. He'll give us privacy. And he won't be able to hear us talking over the waterfall. But I needed to make sure nothing will spring on us from the ocean, and he has a good view from up there. He'll howl if he spots anything."

He starts to pull food out of the picnic basket, and she sits on the blankets. They form a surprisingly soft cushion. Jacob hands her a fork and a plastic plate, and starts handing her tupperware containers of food. There are cold noodles in a simple peanut sauce, rolls, a broccoli and bacon salad, cold cuts wrapped with cheese and skewered with toothpicks, a spicy green bean salad, and a cucumber and tomato salad. "Did you make all this, Jake?"

He nods. "Except the rolls, those are store bought. They're really good, though. Embry boiled the pasta for me and cut up some of the vegetables. I showed him how to make the salads. Maybe it'll help get him out of the doghouse with his mom."

She serves herself helpings of each. "I didn't think you knew how to make vegetables like this, Jake. It's so good!" And it is. None of it is fancy, but all the dishes are flavorful and satisfying.

He shrugs. "Carbs aren't so good for Billy's sugar levels, so we eat a lot of this stuff. I left a bunch of the leftovers for him. And you know I normally eat a lot more meat than this, but I wasn't sure how to keep it hot out here, and I didn't have time to really cook anything."

"What were you saying about Embry's mom?"

"Well, she's pissed at him. The council decided that knowing the secret, knowing we're wolves, is on a 'need to know' basis only, and decided his mom doesn't need to know."

"That's ridiculous!"

"Yeah. I think so too. I mean, he could get killed fighting a vamp, and what would we tell her? She deserves to know. He deserves not to be punished for staying here and defending the tribe."

"Is there anything you can do?"

He nods. "Now that I'm Alpha, I'm going to take a run at the council. Sam never had any luck, but I'm hoping I'll do better. And frankly, even if I don't, I don't see how they can stop me from telling her myself. What are they gonna do, demote me? Not possible."

Next she asks about his meeting with Carlisle and Alice, and his version of the telling is nearly identical to Alice's. Soon she's stuffed, and he has finished all the remaining food. He places a hand on her bare ankle. "Ready for dessert?"

She pats her stomach. "Not sure I can fit anything else in here right now."

He opens the cooler. "You may not need a huge appetite for this." And he pulls out plump, ripe strawberries, a container of chocolate sauce, and a container of whipped cream. "C'mere." He opens his arms and gestures for her to sit between his legs. She leans back against him and settles in, looking out over the bay. She can't remember the last time she felt so content, and tells him so. "Me neither, Bells." Jacob knows that he has never, in fact, felt this good. His Bells is finally that. His. Just as he has always been hers.

They are quiet for a time, just listening to the waves lap up on the shore and the cries of the gulls. Eventually he opens the pint of strawberries and dips one in whipped cream, holding it in front of Bella's mouth. She opens obligingly, and he watches her lips wrap around the sweet fruit and feels himself start to get hard. She notices. So when he dips a new berry into chocolate sauce and brings it to her mouth, she delicately laps up the chocolate with her tongue, and presses a little kiss to the tip of the strawberry when it's clean. She looks at him out of the corner of her eye as he eats the berry. He is staring at her intently. She turns to look at him directly. There is a little juice pooling on his bottom lip. She leans in to lick it away, but pulls back when he leans forward to deepen the kiss. "You ate my strawberry." She smirks a little.

She has no idea where this flirtatious side of her comes from. She was never anything like this with Edward. She always followed his lead, and he always held her at arm's length. She always thought there was true passion just simmering under the surface, waiting to be released, but now she understands. This is true passion. This is real. It's not built on fantasies or romantic notions. It is based on enduring friendship and real love. And it has opened up a side of her that she wants to explore. There is no shame here, just desire.

He dips another berry into the chocolate and offers it to her. She has to snake out her tongue so that chocolate doesn't drip, and he watches her tongue. As she eats the ripe berry, he asks in a husky tone, "Is my naughty girl going to play with me again tonight?" She nods slowly and smiles. He is enraptured.

"You haven't tried any of this sauce, Jacob. You should have some." She dips her finger in the sauce and holds it to his lips. He sucks her finger into his mouth, closes his eyes, and suckles at her. Her arousal shoots up, and he growls a little in his throat.

"You want me, naughty girl, I can smell it."

She licks her lips as he stares at her, and shakes her head slowly. "Not yet, baby." She pulls a strawberry out of the container and dips it in whipped cream, feeding it to him. "You're still a little hungry, I think." Then she gathers a little whipped cream on her finger, and licks it off.

He is painfully aroused. This evening isn't quite going as he expected, but he definitely isn't complaining. He fully expected to seduce her, and brought the chocolate sauce and whipped cream with every intention of licking them off her body. But last night she finally got a taste of the power she holds over him, even as he dominated her by taking her against the wall of her house. But it was her unintentional, then fully intentional teasing, that put him in such a state of desperation. She intends to see just how deep her power over him runs.

So the next time she dips her finger in the cream, she traces a finger along his lower lip, leaving a trail of sweetness behind. But when he snakes out his tongue to lick her finger and suck it into his mouth, she pulls her hand away. "Not yet, baby." She watches him lick his lips instead. "I want another strawberry." Without tearing his gaze from her, he reaches for the container and pulls one out, and dips it in the cream, offering it to her. She shakes her head. "I want chocolate." So he sucks off the cream with his own plush lips and dips it in the chocolate. She bites the sweet fruit, and a little juice drips down his fingers. She laps it up with her own tongue, and he grabs her waist with his other hand and pulls her toward him for a kiss. She stops him with a finger held to his lips. "Not yet, baby. Take off your shirt." He grins and complies.

She takes a minute to just look at him. He is so enticing. His dark skin is almost bronzed in the evening light. His muscles are prominent and well defined. There is a very uncomfortable looking, very large bulge in his shorts that she plans to studiously ignore. But not for long. The wolf wants to pin her down and take her, but the man wants to see how far she will take this game. The look in his eye is predatory, but she knows that at least for now, he will follow her direction to the letter. She pushes him back so he leans on his elbows. "Don't move." He grins wider. She dribbles chocolate sauce down the center of his chest, and then proceeds to lap it up with her tongue. His skin is salty, and the chocolate is dark, sweet and rich. Her breaths leave cool, tingling tracks on his skin.

She puts the sauce down and scoops up a large dab of whipped cream and traces a path along his sensitive clavicle, and then laps that up as well. His breathing becomes uneven when she then marks a trail from the clavicle straight down. But when she licks her way down to his nipple, she switches from a light, teasing touch to a determined swirling of her tongue. They were both surprised when they figured out how much he liked it, but she will take full advantage of the acquired knowledge. She grins and then bites down, drawing a strangled moan from his throat. It is basically impossible for her to hurt him. Any pain she could attempt to inflict feels, to him, like pure pleasure. He moves to grab her hips and pull her body against his, but she backs away and takes him by his forearms, and says softly, "Not yet, baby. Turnabout is fair play, and it's still my turn."

He complies and leans back. "My naughty girl. You're gonna try to pay me back for the time I made you come so hard you passed out." She nods and bites her lower lip. He stares at her mouth and continues, "Okay. I'll play along. For now. But I don't think you've got what it takes to make me pass out."

She can't quite believe what she's about to say. In any other situation, with any other person, she would be far too embarrassed. But she knows he will like it, that it will turn him on, so the drops her voice to a whisper and says, "But I definitely have what it takes to make you come." She was right. He loves it when she talks like that. She can see it in his lascivious grin.

She places her hands on his chest, pushes him back onto the blankets, and crawls on top of him. She dips her finger in the chocolate, paints his lips with it, and licks it off before nipping at his own full bottom lip with her teeth. He moans again, and his fists open and close at his sides in order to keep from manhandling her. The wolf is getting restless in his passivity.

She scoots down so that she can kneel between his legs, and outlines his rectus abdominis muscles with whipped cream. She loves this part of his body. He is tense beneath her, holding his head up so he can watch her, and it makes the musculature even more prominent than it already was. Her mouth waters looking at her dessert. She takes her time as she licks up the whipped cream, savoring every dip and valley, rediscovering which spots on his body are the most sensitive by feeling his body tense or his breath catch.

"You're going to ruin me for other men, Jake. I'm going to start thinking that guys are supposed to be built like this." She runs her fingers lightly along that pathway her tongue just traced.

His voice is deep and low. "That's the idea, Bella. If I have anything to say about it, you're never going to touch anyone else like this, and no one else is ever going to touch you. I'm yours, and you're mine."

She teases, "Think you can keep keep me satisfied, Jacob?"

He nods slowly and starts to sit up. "Let me show you how." But she pushes him back with a firm hand, and he settles back against the blankets.

"Not yet, baby. I'm not done with my dessert." She unsnaps the button on his shorts and lowers the zipper, but not all the way. The motion doesn't free his large cock, despite his lack of underwear, since it is angled down along his thigh. It is starting to throb uncomfortably. Instead, she just lowers his waistband down far enough to expose the outline of his oblique muscles. She dips her finger into the chocolate and paints along the V.

The sensation is electric. He has to actively hold himself still so that he doesn't buck up toward her. He can't look away. The sight of her bent over him, small pink tongue snaking along his hips toward his cock, is tortuous. Especially since he is certain she isn't done playing with him yet. Slowly, so slowly, she trails down along his right hip. She studiously avoids his hard length, and then works her way up the left side. When she is done, she sits back on her heels and looks down at him with a flirty little smile on her lips. She takes the tip of her index finger and traces lightly, so lightly he can barely feel it, along the stiff outline of his cock in his shorts. "This looks like it doesn't fit anymore. Does it hurt a little bit, Jake? Does it ache?" He nods, afraid his voice will crack if he speaks.

She gives him a sympathetic look, and lowers the zipper the rest of the way. "Hips up." He obligingly arches his hips off the ground and she tugs his shorts off. His huge, erect cock bobs up and settles against his pelvis. He wasn't wearing any shoes, so he is entirely naked, and she is still fully clothed. He hopes she will use one of the sauces on his throbbing length, but isn't at all disappointed when she pulls her shirt over her head instead. She turns her back to him and peers at him seductively over her shoulder. "Help me take this off." She traces her index finger along the shoulder strap of her bra. He eagerly sits up and lowers the strap down her arm, placing a kiss where the movement has left her bare. "Nuh uh," she murmurs, and pushes him back away from her. "I tell you where you can touch me, what you can do." And she spins to face him, her lips curving into a wicked smile, a gleam sparkling in her eye. She decides then and there to play the game to its natural conclusion. If she had been told earlier in the day that she would be teasing Jacob to new heights of arousal this way, she would have just blushed and hidden her face with her hands. But it is going so well, she sees no reason to stop.

"Naughty Bella still wants to play?" he asks, and smiles back at her when she nods. She lies back among the soft cushioning, and grabs the whipped cream on the way. She dips her finger in, but rather than tracing it on his body, she tilts her head to the side and draws a path along the column of her neck. "Taste, Jacob," she orders, and he happily leans over her to obey.

His tongue on her skin is hot and soft, and she can't wait to feel it all over her. As soon as he had cleaned her neck thoroughly, she dips her finger back into the cream and draws a line along her clavicle. He growls as he lowers his mouth to lick it off. "Mmmm... Bells, you taste even better than usual." She drawls spirals around her navel, and he obligingly follows with his tongue. When she is clean there, she runs trails up and down along the soft flesh on the sides of her abdomen. While he is occupied with that, she pulls another strawberry out of the pint, and takes a bite. By the time she runs the cool remnant over her left nipple, leaving a trail of sticky juice behind, the chill of the fruit rapidly hardening her into a stiff peak, he is staring at her with lust in his gaze and a firm set to his jaw. She takes another dollop of cream onto her finger and paints her breast with it, then sucks the finger into her mouth to gather the sweetness, and as his pupils dilate with need, she crooks the same finger at him with a come-hither gesture.

He happily dives toward her and starts licking up the cream in maddening circles around her breast, leaving her strawberry coated nipple for last. "This is exactly what I wanted to do to you yesterday, Bells," he breathes against her skin.

She chuckles and moans at the same time. "I sort of figured." Her words turn into a wail when he sucks her nipple deep into his mouth and suckles hard. He doesn't stop until she covers the other nipple in cream as well, and they both groan when he switches breasts.

She meant to play longer, but his tongue on her just feels too damn good. He switches from deep suckling to a light, rapid flicking of the tip of her breast with the tip of his talented tongue, and she arches toward him. Her clitoris throbs in response. He is bringing her higher and higher. She starts to twist her other nipple firmly between two fingers, and he lightly nips at her nipple with his teeth. "Let me," he whispers. She moans an assent, so he licks his fingers to moisten them, and then his hand is mimicking the actions of his tongue on her body. He alternates between strokes of his flat, hot tongue, with nibbling at her nipple with his lips, to raking his teeth along the aureola. She rises closer and closer to the edge. So when he finally pinches her nipple firmly and rolls it, while biting down on her areola almost hard enough to mark her, simultaneously flicking his tongue over the tip with amazing speed, she bucks and arches in a small climax, yanking at his hair to keep his mouth latched onto her chest.

His wolf is howling with want. She is so responsive to his touch. He can't believe he can make her come from that alone. He has a difficult time restraining himself when he scoots up to kiss her and she stops him with a finger pressed to his lips. "Not yet, baby. There's more to eat. Help me take these off." She unbuttons her jeans and he slides them off her, dragging her panties with them. The heady scent of her arousal assaults his nostrils, and he can barely keep the wolf from pinning her down and fucking her hard and fast. Instead, the man wins the inner battle, and he sits back on his heels to look at his gorgeous girl. His cock bobs in front of him and weeps a little with desire.

She takes a little more cream on her finger and draws a line between her navel and her pubic bone, stopping just shy of her clitoris. He leans over her and obligingly laps it up. "You look so damn hot like this, Bells, totally bare."

"You like the way I look?" She sounds a little shy, a voice he is much more used to than the seductive vixen who came out to play. He loves both sides of her.

He looks at her seriously. There is no humor in his voice or his eyes. "You're breathtaking. You're perfect. You're the most beautiful girl in the world. May I?" He gestures toward the whipped cream. She nods. She can't tease him after he says such things to her. He dips his fingers in the bowl, then paints her labia with the cream, finally adding a little dab to her engorged clitoris.

She whispers another command. "Make me come, Jake." He moans at her words, and kneels down between her legs, drawing them over his shoulders. He pauses to breathe her in. Sweetness and musk. He is hungry for her, and she had given him an order. So he snakes out his long tongue to lap up the whipped cream off her lips, and drinks her in. It's the best thing he ever tasted. He swirls his tongue around her engorged clitoris, and she cries out and buries her fingers in his hair. He licks and sucks until the only flavor left behind is pure Bella, and his wolf howls. It wants to taste more of her. So he dips his tongue into the entrance of her tight passage, and she squirms down against him to increase the pressure.

He is ecstatic. He is surrounded by her musky taste, the only sound he hears are her cries of his name, her heat enveloping him. "More," she cries, so he thrusts his tongue as deep as it will go. Tears well up in the corner of her eyes. The sensation is just that good.

How did she ever think there was anything better than this? Any alternative to this, to him? His touch, his love, pure and whole. And hers.

He pumps his hot tongue in and out, swirling at her sensitive entrance with each movement. He knows just how to touch her. He was made to please her. So when she pulls his hair and repeats the order, "Jacob, make me come," he immediately sucks her clitoris between his lips and works the tip with his tongue. It works. She bucks and writhes and arches her back and she comes and comes and comes. He doesn't stop lapping at her until she has nothing left and her body is languid and still.

"Kiss me," she whispers. He crawls up her body and obliges. She licks at his lips, at the flavor of herself and the remnants of sweet whipped cream. When she returns to her senses, she pushes him onto his back.

He groans. "I wanna fuck you, Bells. Let me be inside you. Your pussy tasted so damn good. I want it on my cock."

"Not yet, baby," she whispers. "I'm not finished." She grabs the chocolate sauce, and he laughs and moans. "You got more, it's my turn."

She dabs some sauce on his lips, then licks it off. He smiles and tries to kiss her back, but every time he does she pulls away. "Not yet, baby." She drops another trail down the center of his chest, all the way from the dip at the base of his throat all the way down to where his engorged cock lies on his belly, stopping just short of it. He whimpers and pouts adorably when she clearly avoids it. Jacob has the very best puppy dog eyes she has ever seen, and she nearly takes him in her mouth then and there just to please him. He lets his head fall back onto the blanket when she doesn't. He loses himself in the sensation of her tongue on his body.

She starts at the dip at the base of his neck. His entire long neck is an erogenous zone, so he goes from hard and uncomfortable to positively desperate, he wants to be inside her so badly. She can tell. It makes her feel powerful.

Next she licks her way down his broad, muscular chest. When the chocolate is gone, she switches to blowing air on the moist trail she left behind. She knows it makes his skin tingle, and he sighs a contented sound. "Feel nice?" she asks. His only response is a hum.

When she reaches his abdomen, he picks his head up again to look at her. She is so close to where he really wants her to be. She laps up the last of the chocolate, admiring the way his skin glistens with the moisture her tongue left behind. She looks up into his penetrating gaze. "You're teasing me, Bella. You know exactly what you're doing to me."

She smirks at him and lowers her lips toward his engorged cock, close enough that he can feel her breath, but no more. "What's that? What am I doing to you?"

His deep voice is so low she can barely make out his words. "Making me ache, Bells. Making my wolf howl for you. Making me want you even more than I already do."

"And what is it you want, exactly?" She knows the answer, of course, but hearing him talk this way is incredibly erotic. They both know the effect his words have on her.

Now his voice is a growl. "Your mouth, Bella. Your tongue. Your sweet lips on me. I want you to suck my cock."

She smiles. "Why didn't you just say so?" She reaches for the whipped cream and draws a line of the sweet topping along the length of his shaft. She hovers above him, staring him straight in the eye. She has the sexiest smirk he has ever seen. He knows what she's waiting for. She wants him to keep taking to her. He obliges in a hard voice. "Lick. It. Off."

She does. Her tongue is warm and soft and feels so damn good. But as soon as she has cleaned the whipped cream from him, she stops. She kisses his left hip, then his right. "How was that?"

"Not enough."

She holds the bowl of cream out to him. "Your choice, then." His shaft throbs in response. He gulps, and dips his fingers in. He stares at her pink lips and knows where he wants them. He reaches down and leaves some on his balls, then extends his fingers to her mouth so she can lick them clean. She obliges, and then bends down and starts delicately lapping at the cream. She relishes how she makes him gasp and moan. When she has cleaned him of all the cream, she gently draws one of his balls into her mouth and suckles, and he goes rigid beneath her. She releases him with a small pop and sits up again, extending the bowl of cream toward him again. He takes in gasping breaths and looks back down at her, blinking hazily.

"Are you going to stop every time you run out of cream?" She shrugs innocently, and pushes the bowl back toward him. He groans and gathers more on his finger, and runs it along the crown of his cock. She smiles and licks it off, causing him to buck toward her, and sits back again. This time he takes a larger dollop in an attempt to keep her mouth on him longer, and slathers it on the head, keeping it upright with a tight grip of his other hand. She happily licks it all off, adding her whole mouth to suction him for several blissful seconds before backing away. He pants in frustration, and shakes with the effort to keep his wolf still.

She thinks she has tortured him, and herself enough. She wants him. She sets the bowl aside, and moves up to straddle him, centering his hot cock along the length of her slit. She shifts so she can drag her clitoris up and down his shaft and leans in to capture his lips with hers. She moans her pleasure into his mouth, and presses herself more firmly against him. The friction is amazing. Within moments she is ready to have him buried deep inside her. But she also doesn't want to stop what she's doing. He makes the decision easy for her, and grabs her hips to hold her against him. "Done teasing me yet?" he mutters against her mouth.

"Uh huh," she whimpers at him.

"Good," he says, and twists her against him while grinding his cock firmly against her. He repeats the movement over and over again, lifting her higher and higher. Once he is confident that she won't stop once he lets go of her hips, he moves his hands up to palm her breasts. First he kneads gently, then delicately draws circles around her nipples with the tips of his fingers. All the while he keeps grinding his shaft against her clitoris.

She can't get enough of his mouth, licking, nipping, and biting at his full, soft lips, but can't sustain the position of hovering over his mouth when his hands move to her breasts, so she sits back and stares down at him. Their gazes lock and hold. He is mesmerizing, and the intensity of his gaze ratchets her desire further. She unconsciously bites her bottom lip again, and the gesture nearly undoes him. He needs her to come again, all over him, and he needs it now. So he pinches both her nipples and rolls them between his fingers, shoving his cock hard against her center, and she shudders and comes splintering apart, her body slick above his.

He waits, trembling beneath her, until she levels off enough to speak. "Take me, Jake. I need you." Her voice is breathy and weak.

"How, baby? How do you want me to take you?"

"Mmmm. Any way you want."

He grins beneath her, flips them over, and stands. He tugs her to her knees. He can remain passive no longer. He and his wolf must be sated. His voice is a snarl. "In that case, you naughty little tease, finish what you started." He fists her hair in both hands, just how she likes it, and pulls her mouth onto his huge cock. He doesn't let her lick or tease any longer. When her lips part, he immediately pushes the head in. He stares down at her. She is gazing up at him with big eyes, and is humming happily around him. The vibration sends shockwaves of bliss throughout his body. He isn't close to being all the way in.

He growls, "Your hand. Use your hand on me." So she grips the thick base of his cock and starts to pump in rhythm with the bobbing of her head. She can't pull back very far due to his tight grip on her hair, and it turns her on even more.

"More," he breathes out. She opens her jaw and he starts to pump shallowly into her mouth. Now he holds her still so he can control the movement. She keeps a very tight grip on his base. He still tastes a little sweet and she moans upon the discovery.

"Your other hand, Bella." She gently cups his balls in response, and when he hums low in his throat, not changing the tempo or depth of his thrusts, gently rolls them in her hand. He hisses in response, and then his thrusts become sharper.

"Damn, Bells." Her mouth is perfect. Different than fucking her pussy, and just as good. The suction she is using makes him ache, and her fist wrapped around him makes up for the fact that he's so big that no amount of suppressing her gag reflex will ever allow him to push all the way down her throat.

She starts to shift her tongue back and forth, centering her actions on the crown, and he snarls loudly. She responds with a rush of her own arousal, and the scent in the air triggers the loss of his control. He can't hold back anymore, and starts pumping deeply into her throat. He somehow manages not to gag her as his grip in her hair restricts her from moving at all, and his pumping becomes broken and uneven as he approaches his explosion. She moans around him, nearly as desperate for his release as he is, and that's it. He manages to spit out, "Swallow every... single... drop... my naughty... little... girl." Then he freezes with a growl, holding her tightly against him, back arched and head thrown back, and shoots streams of his hot, salty cum down her throat. She drinks it greedily, and when he is finally done spasming and bucking, licks him clean with her little pink tongue.

When he finally releases her, he is still hot and hard, and his gaze burns into her skin. The sun is low in the sky now, sending an orange glow over the beach. Jacob looks like he is glowing in the evening light.

"You're beautiful, Jacob," she murmurs. With Edward, she always felt that his otherworldly good looks put him far out of her league, and she wanted to be changed just to look less absurd standing next to him. Jacob is no less beautiful, more so, actually, but in a completely different way. And no matter how beautiful or how powerful he becomes, he will always be her Jake, the boy she has known his entire life.

"Not nearly as beautiful as you, Bells. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." She doesn't believe him, exactly, but she knows he means it sincerely. And she supposes that kneeling naked at his feet isn't hurting either. He sits down across from her, and draws her into his lap. He kisses her gently. "Thank you, honey." He runs his thumb down her cheek.

She is the one who should be thankful. "For what, Jake?"

He pulls her in and hugs her tightly. "For being with me. For staying. For accepting me no matter how crazy my life gets. No matter who I become. For making me feel just a little bit normal. For being the girl you've always been." She doesn't know what to say in response, so she kisses him deeply. She runs her nails along his scalp, and he tingles where she touches him. She presses her breasts against his chest, and her soft flesh molds to him. He wraps an arm around her waist and draws her flush against him, bringing her wet heat back in contact with his still pulsing length, and they both groan at the contact.

She wants him inside of her badly. His sweet words distracted her for a moment, but she has been desperate to feel him filling her ever since he shoved his cock into her mouth. The new contact against her clitoris brings on a new wave of arousal, and the feel and scent brings him right back into the moment. "I need you, Bells. You smell so good. You feel so good." He runs his tongue along the inside of her upper lip, then her lower one, and she reaches blindly around for her jeans. He chuckles against her lips. "Looking for this?" He holds them up, and she grabs them and digs around in her pocket, producing a condom. He smiles and kisses her again. "Guess we were thinking the same thing this time. I've got one too."

She pulls back and opens the package. "Just one?"

He gives her a sheepish little smile. "Maybe more than one."

"Mmm. Thought so." She unrolls it on him, and his eyes slip shut at the contact. Even though he can't see it, he can hear the smile in her voice. "Me too."

He huffs out a laugh. "You figured out pretty quickly that I just can't keep my hands off you, Bells." He illustrates with a tight grip on her hips. Her fingers draw patterns on his chest while they talk.

"Yesterday was sort of a tip off. Up against the house, and all, with our dads just inside. Anyhow, the feeling's mutual." She shifts her core to slide it over his cock again, without actually taking him inside. He throws his head back and moans.

"I've wanted you for so long." He breathes the words reverently and gently lowers her onto her back and circles her clitoris with the head of his cock until she whimpers again for him to please take her.

He pulls her left leg over his right arm, and grasps her hip to steady her, his other hand braced on the ground beside her head. The movement opens her fully to him. She grabs his shoulder with her left hand and tries to draw him inside with her right. He pauses before going further, memorizing the exact flush of her skin, her tangled hair, her brow furrowed with want, the tight peaking of her nipples, and the urgent look in her shining eyes.

"Please, Jake!"

"I love you, Isabella Swan," he murmurs as he slips inside her all the way. Her slick heat envelops him, and he holds still to kiss her softly and let her adjust. She is incredibly tight. He can be patient, now that his own desperate need was sated after he came down her throat. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

She gasps at his entrance. No matter how ready she is, how badly she wants him, she burns with his first thrust. He is just so very big. "It's so good, Jake."

"Does it hurt at all?" He remains still, feeling her clench around him.

Her breaths are fast and shallow, and her words are gasping. "Yes, it burns. It's amazing. You're amazing."

He chuckles and kisses her again. "It isn't me. It's us. We're right together." She has started to shift restlessly beneath him, and he knows she is ready for more. He slides out slowly, almost all the way out, and then slips back in.

She lets out a contented sigh. The stretch is wonderful. He fills her perfectly in so many ways. He makes her happy. "How did you know, Jake? You were always so sure about us."

He sets a gentle, languid pace. He avoids pressing against her clitoris. He wants to build her back up nice and slow. "I've always known," he whispers against her lips.

She moans as his cock gently pushes against her cervix. No matter how he takes her, he always gets so deep. "Tell me."

He smiles as he backs out of her, "Okay. The first time I remember knowing," he murmurs as he slides back in, "I think I was about four."

"Aaah. So young? Mmm. You remember that... unh... far back?" He hasn't stopped moving, but he manages to stay coherent despite that fact. She can barely string three words together.

"It's one of my first memories." He slides out. "I don't know exactly what we were doing..." He slips back in. "We were at the beach." He slides out. "I fell on the rocks." He slips in. "Skinned my knee pretty bad." He slides out. "My mom wasn't there." He slips in. "Probably with my sisters." He slides out. "You kissed it better." He slips in. "It tingled for the rest of the day." He slides in. "My first kiss, sort of."

"I guess it... aah... was mine... mmm... too."

"I still feel it." He keeps thrusting gently. "The same tingle." He listen to her breathless sighs. "Every time you touch me." He pauses his speech to taste her lips, but keeps moving inside her. "It's why I always (kiss) wanted to (kiss) hold your hand (kiss)."

And he always did, she remembers. It always felt so natural and so right that she never questioned it. It took her a long time to realize that other best friends, especially girls and boys, didn't do the same. How did she fool herself about her feelings for him for so long?

He keeps up his slow pace. She wants him to pound into her, but she wants to hear him even more. "Nothing ever made me happier..." He slides out. "... than making you smile." He slips in. "One smile in particular." He slides out. "First time you aimed it at me..." He slips in. "... was the next summer, I think." He slides out. "I picked a daisy for you..." He slips in. "... from Mrs. Ateara's garden." He slides out. "I sort of got in trouble." He slips in. "But it was totally worth it." He slides out. "The smile you gave back to me..." He slips in. "... lit up your whole face." He slides out. "So pretty, Bells." Her name is a groan. She thinks she pressed the daisy in a copy of Robinson Crusoe. Maybe it's still at Charlie's?

He needs to kiss her again, so he does. His cock is aching from the slow pace. She feels the same, and starts to whimper and grab at his buttocks. He obliges and picks up the pace. She climbs higher.

"You were always so good to me." He rocks out. She feels bad, because for most of her most recent stay in Forks, she wasn't good to him at all. He reads her expression like a book, and pushes in firmly, making her arch against him and moan, and then holds still. "You were good to me, honey. You are good to me. You make me so damn happy."

"But I've been awful, Jake. I don't deserve you."

"That wasn't you. I know the real you. I knew you before he came along, and I'll know you long after he's gone. He made you insecure. He made you doubt yourself. The dark stuff is all him. An unhealthy addiction. I know the real Bella Swan. She's the love of my life, and the kindest person I know." He kisses her passionately, and then pulls out almost all the way.

"We were fishing with our dads once. Aaah!" He shoves in firmly. She cries out in response. "Only we were screwing around." He rocks out. "You managed to catch...unhh..." He shoves in. "... a little frog in a jar." He rocks out. "You gave it to me... Aaah!" He shoves in. "Even though you really wanted it." He rocks out. "I kept it for a day... Mmph!" He shoves in. "Before I let it free." He rocks out. "You were always so nice to me. God. Damn." He shoves in. "I have a hundred memories..." He rocks out. "Just like that one, Ohhhh." He shoves in. "You were always so sweet to me." He rocks out. "And so damn pretty. Aagh!" He shoves in. "Played with me..." He rocks out. "Even though I was just a little kid. Fuck, yeah!" He shoves in.

"Not so... oooh... little... god, Jake... anymore!" And they both break down laughing. The sensation is bliss. She shakes and contracts around his painfully hard cock, while she is so, so happy.

"That's it, Bells! Oh... Oh... The smile, that's the one...Mmmmm." He lets out a broken laugh as he gazes at her. "I didn't... Fuck... think I could... Damn... like that smile... Unh... Unh.. any better... Ohhh... But it's even better... Goddamn... if you smile at me... Mmmm... while I'm inside you." She giggles at the juxtaposition between the sweet, flattering compliments and all the swearing.

"You have... Unh... a filthy... Ohhhh... talented... filthy... Mmmm... mouth... young man... Aah!" And they both laugh again. He doesn't stop thrusting.

"Admit it... Unh... You love it... Mmph... when I... Ohhhh... talk dirty." They groan together as he leans back a bit so he can change his angle, getting even deeper inside her.

"Fine, Jake... Ohhhh... I do... Mmmm... You've got me pegged... Unh... literally!" He almost collapses on her in a peal of laughter, but manages to keep pumping deeply.

"Oh, I love you... Mmph... Awful puns... Mmmm... and all... Damn!"

He leans back on his heels. Then he licks his finger, dips his hand in between their bodies and starts to circle her swollen clit. Her head falls back and she moans. Her back arches, pushing her lovely breasts upward. She grips his left arm where he is stabilizing her hip, and runs her left hand through her hair, which is a complete mess. He shoves into her more firmly. She has been keyed up for so long that it only takes a little extra for her to orgasm. Her voice pleads with him. "Jake, please, please, I'm so close. Mmmm. Come with me. Ahhh. Come in me."

He can't resist such a request, although he could easily last a lot longer. She is just too enticing. So he pinches her clitoris gently while reaching up with his other hand to roll her nipple, and gives her three more deep thrusts. That's all it takes, and she is flying. He lets go as she contracts around him, and they cry out together.

He stills inside of her, but doesn't stop circling her clitoris. It keeps her right on the edge. Her aftershocks are prolonged and heightened by his actions.

His voice is low. "I hope you're not done, baby, because I'm not."

She clenches and squirms on his cock. "You're crazy, Jake."

He cocks his head to the side. "Is that a 'no' I hear?" He knows it isn't. She is much too turned on. He switches from gentle circling to direct thumbing of her swollen nub.

"Of course not. You feel so damn good. I just can't believe how long you can last. Like I said before, you're going to ruin me for all other men. I don't know much about this, but I'm pretty sure that other men have limits. I don't think we've discovered any limits for you. Even being in another country didn't stop you."

His voice is harsh again. "For you there are no limits. None. In anything. Only the ones you set. And there will be no other men, Bells. I'm going to make sure you never want anyone else but me." His tone softens. "And I already told you there's never been any other girl for me but you."

She groans when he pulls out. "Where are you going?"

"Not far." He switches into a fresh condom, and then pounces on her. He wants her. The wolf wants her. "I'm not going anywhere until I get to fuck that sweet pussy."

She quirks a brow at him. "Isn't that what you just did?"

"No. That wasn't fucking. I fucked your lovely mouth before. Let me show you the difference." He flips her over, draws her hips toward up toward him and pushes her back in an arch toward the ground, grips her hips, and drives into her hard. The angle is absolutely perfect and he knows it. He knows it makes her crazy. "Brace yourself, sweetheart. I'm not going to be gentle. And you're going to like it."

She locks her arms in extension underneath her as he pulls out, and nearly tumbles forward to the blanket when he pounds back in. She doesn't just like it. She loves it. He wasn't lying. He isn't gentle at all. The contrast is stark between the lovemaking from minutes ago compared to this. She thinks she prefers this. It's hard and fast and he is in complete control. The illusion of being powerless is incredibly arousing, particularly since it is just that, an illusion. Jacob knows exactly what she likes, and exactly how far he can go. And right now, she wants to be fucked.

So he does. He sets a punishing rhythm. He grasps her firmly by her hips, being careful not to cause pain, and yanks her back toward him with every deep thrust forward. He stares down at her slender form, the dip of her spine arching further with every thrust, her smooth skin glistening with perspiration, her head tossed back with her hair tangled around her, her ass perfectly shaped and presented toward him, his thick cock disappearing into her welcoming body, and best of all, the faint outline of his mark upon her shoulder.

He cannot quite believe that she is finally his. The girl he has been waiting for his whole life. Each spring counting down the days until her return. Anxiously checking the mailbox for one of her letters. Eagerly eavesdropping on his father's conversations with Charlie for scraps of news of how she is. His disappointment upon hearing of the summers she chose to stay in Phoenix, when Charlie went to visit her instead. The dismay of learning she had fallen in love with Edward Cullen. The agony of her repeated rejections of him. His crushing despair at learning that she had chosen the monstrous death of being turned. Every dark moment redeemed by her acceptance of him. Of them. Not only accepting his love for her, not only returning that love in full, but embracing him entirely, both the boy he was, the wolf within him, and the man he will become.

So he gives himself to her completely. He gives her exactly what she wants, which is just what he needs. He fucks her hard, sending tides of ecstasy coursing outward from her center. And the heat of her, the wet, tight vice clamping down on his pounding cock, is bliss. Her body is pure pleasure, made just for him.

And Bella trusts Jacob implicitly, and the freedom of that fact allows her to lose herself in the experience in a way she would be unable with anyone else. There is no pretense here, just honesty and lust. It is one of the many reasons that Jacob is right: there will be no other men for her. She knows that now, as he has known the same about her, apparently for nearly his entire life. The truth astounds her just as Jacob himself overwhelms her, slamming into her. He has shown a mirror to her, and the reflection she finally sees, finally understands, is herself in her most raw and natural form.

Jacob's hands on her hips keep her from falling while they draw her onto his huge length. He fills her like no one else ever could, literally and figuratively. He brings her to new heights. Soon, each slam of his body into hers stimulates another orgasm, so that eventually she isn't just contracting all around him, but coming over and over in overlapping waves. She is overcome.

So after long minutes of luxuriating in her body, relishing the frantic contractions of her cunt, when he senses that she is about to cross the line between euphoria and utter exhaustion, he pulls her back into his lap, her head falling against his shoulder, grasps at her breasts, buries himself still within her, and explodes again and again, shaking.

They fall together to the blankets, and he wraps the soft fabric around them to shelter her from the chill. The sun has just fallen below the Pacific. Jacob strokes Bella's hair, her arm, her hip, up and down, softly, until she rolls to face him with a serene smile.

"Hi, there."

"Hey."

"You're amazing."

"No, it's you."

"No. It's us."

"Okay, it's us."

She snuggles against him happily until the stars peek out from behind the clouds and their candles burn out one by one. He plies her with water and she realizes she is parched, and he feeds her the rest of the strawberries. Then he gently helps her dress, puts on his own clothes, and lifts her in his arms. It would be painful for her to get on the motorcycle, so he carries her all the way home tucked into his chest. He can go back to clean up his things once she is comfortable in her own bed.

By the time they arrive, she is fast asleep. He opens the door and finds her father watching television in the living room. He greets Charlie silently and carries her up the stairs. He pulls off her shoes and jeans and tucks her under her covers, and unlocks the window. He will come back later in the night if she wakes up. Otherwise he will watch over her from the woods behind her house. He kisses her on the forehead and leaves by the front door after saying goodnight to her father.


	26. Chapter 26

Rating: MA for lemons

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Friday  
X-x-x-x-X

Bella wakes up to more crinkling under her head. She has the vaguest memory of stumbling out of bed in the middle of the night to use the restroom and finding herself confused and without pants. When she made her way back to her bedroom, Jake was waiting for her with her pajamas and a sweet goodnight kiss. She thinks that he changed her into her soft flannel pants and cotton shirt as if he was helping a small child. He held her hand until she fell asleep again, which admittedly took no time at all.

_You're funny and cranky when you're tired. It's adorable. I love you. I explained to Charlie that you got really worn out on our hike to Third Beach and back, but actually your stamina impressed me. You're in better shape than I would have guessed. We're having a bonfire at First Beach tomorrow. Invite your friends. You and Charlie should both come over to the house for dinner tonight. I'll grill. Maybe I'll start fire with my bare hands again. I swear this is a really big deal. Also, I didn't eat enough meat yesterday and I'm about to wither away. Love, Jake_

She giggles at his thinly veiled reference to their marathon rounds of sex. She supposes he was being careful in case Charlie found the note. She makes sure to fully shower and rearrange herself before facing her father. One look at her sex hair and their secret trysts would be over. Charlie, of course, thinks that going to Billy's for dinner is the best idea he has heard in a long time, and she can see him envisioning mutual grandbabies in their future. Who knew Charlie was such a sap?

The wolf waiting by her truck turns out to be Jared. She hands him a mug of coffee, and chats with him on her way to work. They both share a laugh at Mike's perplexed expression at yet another tall, handsome Quileute man dropping Bella off at work. He has learned by now that there is no point in asking. He will get a totally honest but worthless answer as to the identity of the stranger, and indeed Bella informs him spontaneously and uselessly that, "Oh, that was Jared." Which clarifies nothing at all. And when Jared comes by during her break bearing food for him to share with Bella (purportedly prepared by Jared's girlfriend Kim), Bella seems shocked and pleased, and Mike is only more confused. Finally, Jared is clear across the store at the end of her shift when Mike finally breaks down and whispers to Bella, "Who are all these people, Bella?"

Jared, much too far away to be in earshot, immediately replies, "Newton, right? You should come meet everyone tomorrow. You play football? We're playing at First Beach and then having a bonfire. You in?" Mike agrees before he has any idea what is going on, and also takes responsibility for gathering the rest of their friends from Forks High before he realizes what he has done. And with that, Bella is gone, accompanied by the mysterious but friendly Jared. Oh well, at least maybe he'll get the chance to see Leah again.

That evening, she and Charlie visit the Blacks. Jacob grills steaks, and then proceeds to eat as many steaks as Bella, Charlie, and Billy combined. Charlie deems Jacob's appetite back to normal, referencing Jacob's inability to finish his strawberry pie two nights earlier, and wonders to himself why that statement makes Bella blush. After dinner, he and Billy settle in to watch another Mariners' game, while Bella and Jacob repeatedly try and fail to sneak out to the garage. They also can't come up with any plausible reason to lock themselves in Jacob's bedroom, and he is mightily disappointed that he still hasn't gotten Bella into his bed. The thought of her, half dressed (or better yet, not dressed at all), wrapped up in his sheets and around him, is a longstanding favorite fantasy. But Charlie's suspicions have been raised, and Billy is all too pleased to help invent ways to keep their children from getting any real alone time. Bella and Jacob end up having to settle for making out sporadically in the kitchen. Charlie and Billy keep blatantly coming in for beverages they don't yet need. At one point, Billy even comes in to exchange an unopened bottle of Rainier for an identical one in the fridge, claiming that his first one was defective. After springing apart from Bella, Billy's laughter easily audible from the next room, Jacob explains that Charlie is still trying to win their bet about catching the kids making out, while Billy is "just cockblocking me for the fun of it." Their fathers decide that it's better sport than watching the game.

The trend even continues after Bella and Charlie return home. Bella is freshly showered and damp when she finds Jacob waiting for her on her bed. He has just untied her robe and has his hand cupping her breast, his lips attacking hers, when a floorboard squeaks in the hallway. Jacob dives down, quickly hiding himself on the far side of Bella's bed when Charlie knocks at the door for a quick goodnight.

He gives up after that. Charlie will be starting a week of night shifts the next night anyway, and he has every intention of taking advantage. And his patrol of the house is supposed to start soon, and Quil is still outside. Unlike Leah or Embry, who would politely and automatically stay far enough away to give them privacy while simultaneously sticking close enough to spot anything dangerous if needed, he has no such faith in Quil. Although he would certainly not blatantly eavesdrop as Leah had jokingly suggested to Bella, he is also not quite as thoughtful. And he is probably waiting for an opportunity to pay Jacob back for trapping him naked outside the day before. So he kisses her goodnight and jumps out the window. He sends Quil home a little early, and settles down in the woods for an uneventful night.

X-x-x-x-X  
Saturday  
X-x-x-x-X

When Bella wakes up, there is another note on her pillow.

_I'm going to try to get a few hours of sleep, but I'll be up in plenty of time for the party on the beach. And you're welcome to come wake me up anytime. I love you and can't wait to see you. Yours, Jake._

She is torn between wanting to let Jacob rest and wanting to go straight to his house to wake him up, but she decides that Billy won't let her do anything fun anyway. Charlie is sleeping in so as to prepare to work a night shift, but Leah is sitting on her back porch, staying out of the rain. Bella lets her in, and they make pancakes together. Apparently it rained for several hours overnight, but is forecast to clear up by the afternoon, so they still plan to go to the beach. Bella finds out that aside from hot dogs and hamburgers, Emily is apparently slated to make all the food by herself, so Bella calls her and offers to take care of all the dessert. She and Leah then spend the remainder of the morning baking. Leah turns out to be better than an electric mixer, and not only takes care of stirring all the various forms of batter, but hand whips meringue by herself for Bella's lemon meringue pies.

As the first set of cookies is coming out of the oven, Leah asks Bella, "So, now that you've got a future, are you planning on doing anything with it?" Bella is startled. She has managed to avoid this train of thought entirely. Leah continues, "Nowhere to go but up, really. Your last plan was pretty shitty. No way the next one could be worse."

"College?"

"Okay, where?"

Bella looks frustrated as she puts another cookie sheet in the oven. "Well, to keep up the facade for Charlie, I was planning on using my college fund for University of Alaska. But there is just no reason to go up there. Not now. I was never planning on actually going anyhow."

Leah looks confused, but doesn't stop mixing the brownie batter she is making. "Wait, so you were taking your folks' money and pretending to use it for college so they wouldn't be suspicious?"

"Um, yeah."

"What does your mom do?"

Bella has the good sense to look sheepish. "She's a teacher."

"And your dad's a cop, obviously. So your parents are just rolling in the dough and can totally afford to have you fake spend their money."

"They were gonna get it back. The Cullens are rich, you know that."

"But you were never planning on seeing them again, right?"

"Probably not."

"So you were going to, what, fake your death and return the money that way?"

Bella sighs and sets down her spoon. "It wasn't that well thought out."

Leah busts out laughing and shakes her head. "No shit! Okay, fine, fine. So Alaska's out. Where else did you apply?"

"Um, nowhere, but the Cullens pulled strings to get me into Dartmouth."

"Wait, why? I thought you were going to go all cold and stony? Doesn't seem like the kind of place a newborn leech should go, unless she was looking to start a bloodbath."

"I was. But if not, I could just go to college there with them. Anyway, it was a sham. I absolutely do not deserve to get in there."

"Do you have the grades for it?"

"No, and no. Once upon a time I might have made the grades, but then Edward happened, and then he left, and my grades went down the tubes. And my only extracurricular is my job, which doesn't exactly scream Ivy League. Even if I didn't feel too guilty about it, I sure can't afford to go there. What would I do out there, anyway?"

"Enjoy yourself? Sex, drugs, rock and roll? Learn something? Get a degree?"

"Okay, fine. It wouldn't be useless. But you know there's no way I'm moving three thousand miles away from Charlie and Jacob to go to a school I can't afford that I never deserved to get into."

"So what's left? I'm guessing living with Charlie and working at that shop aren't your long term goals, although compared to what you were planning on doing, it's an absolutely brilliant plan."

Bella just opens and closes her mouth and drops more cookie dough onto her sheet, until she decides to turn the tables on Leah. "Well, what about you?"

"Peninsula. Get my associates while I'm still stuck here, and hopefully by the time that's done, transfer somewhere bigger. I just have to figure out how to stop phasing."

"Huh. They still accepting applications?"

Leah nods. "It's too late to apply to any four year school. I think it's community college this year for you, Swan, or wait until next year." Bella is relieved. Leah just made up her mind for her. She can figure the rest out later. Leah smirks. "What would you do without us, Swan?"

Bella pauses. "Die. I'd just die."

Several hours and dozens of baked sweets later, they arrive at First Beach. Bella heads toward the picnic tables with containers of cookies in hand. Once she sets them down, she looks down the beach, and sees Jacob's broad back. He is with Lauren Mallory. Bella freezes. Lauren is touching Jake. Her Jake.

Lauren repeatedly tosses her long, blonde hair over her shoulder, and bats her eyelashes at him. He thinks it looks like she is having a seizure. It would be fascinating and hilarious if he weren't so deeply uncomfortable. He knows Lauren by reputation, from Bella's low opinion of her, and worst of all, from Paul Lahote's vivid memory. He can't look her in the eye. He doesn't want to look anywhere else. He already knows what it all looks like, and even if he didn't, her barely-there clothing gives it all away. He studiously stares at the middle of her forehead.

He takes small steps backward, but Lauren sticks to him like glue. She isn't being subtle at all. She wears a tiny red bikini and nothing else, despite the fact that it isn't even seventy degrees out, and there is a cool breeze blowing in from the ocean. It has actually become her excuse for touching him. She keeps complaining of how cold she is, and saucily asking to share his body heat, and somehow keeps managing to press her ample breasts against his arm. He can see her clothing piled up on a towel nearby, and offers to get it for her. She declines and pushes further into him. He actually starts to go get a towel to wrap around her, and she tugs him back with a pull of his beltloop. He gently but firmly removes her hand from his clothes, so she starts brushing her fingers down his arm, cooing over how warm and soft his skin feels. He tells her he is seeing someone, and she replies that his girlfriend isn't here.

He steps back and she steps forward. He almost trips over loose driftwood as he stumbles backward, and she takes the excuse to grasp at his arms. He removes her hands from his arms one by one, so she pretends to trip forward and presses her whole body against his, giggling about her own clumsiness. He wants to throw her off of him, but he isn't going to shove a girl. She is more tenacious than an angry vampire.

Leah watches Bella watching Jacob, a distinctly jealous look in her eye. It would be funny if Bella wasn't getting so upset. She rolls her eyes and decides to rescue her Alpha from the skanky blonde girl. She doesn't know the girl's name since Paul doesn't remember her name, but Leah knows much more about her than she ever wants to know about anyone. Just as she sees Jacob tripping backward, she starts toward them. Right when the blonde girl pretends to fall forward into Jake, she appears directly behind her.

Jacob has never been so relieved to see Leah Clearwater. She smirks at Jacob's compromised position, and gestures with her hands for Jake to toss the girl to her. Jacob pretends to fall backward under the force of her stumbling and pushes his arms out, forcing Lauren backward into Leah's arms. He falls backward into the sand. As he stands back up, he totally fails to notice Lauren trying to regain his attention. He has spotted his beautiful girl. His Bells is here.

He jogs toward her with his huge, sunny grin and sweeps her up in his signature bear hug, spinning her around. It instantaneously wipes the jealous scowl off her face. "You smell like chocolate, and lemon, and cookies! Oh man, it's almost as good as strawberries and vanilla, Bells!"

She laughs and giggles into his neck, and wraps her legs around his waist. "I figured since we were in public, I'd better not bring those."

He plants tiny kisses all over her face and in her hair. "Mmm. Good idea, honey. Those are just for us." Then he growls playfully and attacks her lips with his own. Bella sighs happily and gives in.

Eventually, Bella notices Lauren staring at them blatantly, mouth agape. This wasn't how she was planning on outing her breakup with Edward to everyone she knows, but she simply cannot resist Jacob's smile, his hugs, or his kisses. But she blushes nonetheless, and unwraps her legs from around his middle. Jacob, on the other hand, has forgotten anyone else is around, and grabs her by her ass to bring her back up to him with one hand, and pulls her legs back around him with his other. "Where do you think you're going?" he murmurs into her hair, and resumes kissing her. She gives in, not very reluctantly.

Distantly, Jacob hears Leah murmuring to Lauren, "He's taken, as you can see. But honey, none of the guys here want Paul Lahote's sloppy seconds," and cackling as she walks away.

Eventually, Quil and Embry start in on catcalls and whistles, and Bella blushes again and squirms to be let down. Jacob pouts and sets her on her feet, and she looks around to find that Quil, Embry, and Leah are all laughing at them, while Lauren is standing off to the side looking pissed.

Jacob leans over and whispers in her ear, "You guys rescued me. I was afraid I was gonna have to hit a girl. She's really pushy, and she totally made me feel like a piece of meat!"

"How do you know her?"

Jacob rolls his eyes. "Paul knows her, if you know what I mean. Which means we all know her. She wouldn't leave him alone after their fling, not for a long time, but eventually she gave up and decided any other pack member would do. Apparently that meant me today."

Embry strolls over. "Not exactly, man. Quil was hitting on her before you got here, and she wouldn't give him the time of day. Didn't seem especially interested in me either. Wasn't until you showed up, and she instantly set her sights on you."

Quil chimes in, "She was totally eye fucking you from the moment you got here, only you didn't notice her. Oh sorry, Bella."

A big part of her is jealous, but she can't expect other girls not to notice Jacob. And he seemed sincerely put off by Lauren's behavior, so she can't exactly get mad at him.

Leah comes up behind them. "She can eye fuck him all she wants, but Bella here is the only one who actually gets to fuck him." The statement generates more catcalls, hoots, and howls of laughter from the pack, while Bella blushes scarlet and Jacob breaks away to chase Leah down the beach. They are both running too fast for normal people, but not so much as to raise suspicion. Quil and Embry jog after them.

Just then, Bella is rescued by the arrival of Angela Weber and Ben Cheney. Jessica trails along after them. They were just a minute too late to witness the spectacle, but Lauren immediately pulls Jessica aside and starts whispering in her ear. Bella watches Jessica's increasingly amazed expression as Angela approaches her with a cautious expression on her face and open arms. Angela pulls her in for a soft hug, and then looks her directly in the eyes. "We heard, Bella. Are you doing okay?"

Bella doesn't know exactly what to say. Considering her pathetic zombie state after Edward left her, it should come as no surprise that Angela is concerned about her. She tries to give her a reassuring smile. "I'm better than I've ever been, Angela, honestly. What exactly did you hear?"

Angela and Ben look at each other uneasily, "Just rumors, Bella."

"Yes, I figured that out. What are the rumors?"

"We didn't believe any of it, Bella," Ben chimes in.

"Believe what?"

Angela pulls Bella down the beach a bit, away from Lauren and Jessica. "That Edward called off the wedding. That you're seeing a bunch of different guys now."

"You mean that I got dumped, and so I decided to try to make him jealous by sleeping around?" Angela winces and nods unhappily. Bella just shakes her head. "I broke it off, and I'm seeing him now. Just him." She points further down the beach, where Jacob, Leah, Quil and Embry are walking back at a normal pace, talking and laughing.

Angela's mouth drops open. "Is that Jacob?"

Ben frowns. "Which one? Can't be. He got hurt, didn't he? In a bike accident?"

Bella shrugs. "Motorcycle accident. He's the tall one." Ben snorts in response. "Oh, right. The tallest one. He's much better, as you can see."

Jacob joins them, standing behind Bella and hugging her to his chest. He shakes Angela's and Ben's hands and proceeds to charm them both, and introduces them to his friends. The group makes their way to the sand, leaving Lauren and Jessica gossiping behind them. Bella knows Jessica must be getting a ridiculous and skewed story, but can't bother to go correct it now. When Mike, Tyler and Eric arrive, however, she spots them joining Lauren and Jessica, and she starts to wonder if she needs to stop the rumor mill before it gets totally out of control. Angela senses her unease and waves the boys over, reintroducing them to Jacob. None of them could care less about Jacob when they spot Leah, staring blatantly.

Jessica finally separates from Lauren when she spots Mike, and walks over. She winks at Bella and then whispers in her ear, not realizing Jacob can overhear, saying, "I think Edward did you a favor, Bella!" She doesn't have a chance to correct her before Jessica starts flirting with Embry in an obvious attempt to make Mike jealous. Mike barely notices what Jessica is doing since he is too busy ogling Leah alongside the other guys. Bella explains quietly to Jacob the nature of the on again, off again relationship, just loud enough for Embry to overhear without tipping off Jessica. Then Angela and Bella take the chance to catch up.

Just when everyone is getting comfortable with each other, Seth arrives. Lauren notices him first, and devoid of any male attention, sets her sights on him. She hands him a bottle of sunscreen, bats her eyelashes at him, and asks him to put the lotion on her back. He stutters an agreement, too polite to say no. Like everyone else in the pack, he knows who she is by way of Paul's memories, although Leah had threatened Paul with death if he corrupted her baby brother too much. If the girl was a complete stranger, he would happily comply, but he, like the rest of the pack, has no interest in one of Paul's former conquests. Especially after she basically stalked him for months afterward. Either way, he is even more uncomfortable than Jacob was, and his cheeks flush bright red. Lauren mistakes it for arousal rather than embarrassment, lies face down on her towel, and undoes the tie on her bikini, flirtatiously explaining that she doesn't want any tan lines. It still isn't warm enough to be so underclad.

Seth looks around for rescue, but most of the pack is just amused at his expense, and his sister has gotten trapped in a conversation with Tyler. So he kneels down as far away as he can get, and awkwardly applies the lotion, very unevenly. She moans loudly, and the rest of the pack laugh silently so as not to tip her off. Bella almost feels bad for her. And that is the state they are in when two dark feet appear in Lauren's line of sight and kick sand up onto her towel.

"Long time no see, babe." Paul still can't remember her name. She looks up in surprise. "You sure could teach the kid there a thing or two, but you might want to wait a few months. What's the age of consent in Washington state, sixteen? Better be a little patient. Wouldn't want Chief Swan to arrest you for statutory." He would keep going, but Sam drags him away with an apology to Lauren. Emily feels bad for Lauren, no matter how much she brought her humiliation upon herself, and hands Lauren her wrap and brings her a bottle of water, sympathetically explaining that a lot of the boys look older than they are.

Soon everyone has arrived, and the guys split up to play football. The pack tries to divide up evenly on each team, and they initially intend to play touch only so as to not accidentally hurt their new friends by tackling them too hard, or more likely, by their new friends tying and failing to tackle them. Tyler, himself a varsity football player, actively wonders how he never encountered any of these excellent players on the field. He gets no real answer, but finds himself outmatched. But soon, Quil starts trying to take Jacob down, Mike and Tyler both keep trying unsuccessfully to tackle Leah, and the whole thing degenerates.

The other girls watch in fascination, and no small amount of lust, especially when the overheated guys start to take their shirts off. Bella is disappointed that Jake still has his white t-shirt on until Quil finally manages to tackle him right into the water, and he emerges dripping from head to toe. Jessica mutters to Bella, "I totally get wet t-shirt contests now! If this is what you had waiting for you, what the hell were you doing with boring, snobby old Edward, Bella?" before Lauren drags her several yards away.

Angela laughs good naturedly at Jessica's comment, but keeps sneaking peeks at the guys. "You're happy, Bella," she says warmly. It isn't a question. Bella just nods. She is. "He's good for you," Angela adds, and Bella quietly agrees. "I'm glad." Angela doesn't pry further, just gives her a reassuring squeeze. The sun finally makes an appearance, warming the girls.

Now that Jacob has been dunked, he retaliates by submerging Quil. Tyler is still unsuccessfully trying to tackle Leah, who eventually turns the tables and shoves him under the waves. Jared comes up the shore to pick up Kim and dips her into the ocean, Sam makes a run for Emily, and not to be outdone, Mike then runs up the shore and picks Jessica up off Lauren's towel and tosses her into the waves.

Jacob sets his sights on Bella, and comes stalking toward her. But instead of picking her up and running off, he tackles her into the sand and soaks her with his own wet clothes and skin. She doesn't mind one bit, particularly when he starts kissing her. She has almost forgotten where they are when someone, or several someones, start whistling at them. Meanwhile, Quil, Brady, and Collin start a blazing bonfire, and the soaked girls move to the warmth of the fire.

Lauren, for some reason, takes a final run at Paul. She clearly has no shot at any other guy here, and he was an awful lot of fun for the nights he did spend with her, short lived though they were. He decides to flirt back while considering if he is actually going to sleep with her again. She's still hot, of course, although she wasn't as good in bed as she thought she was, but then again, she is clearly willing, and that counts for a lot. But he has no interest in getting stalked by her another time.

As the girls dry out, the sun falls low in the sky. Someone pulls blankets from their car, and Bella's friends from Forks wonder why they are the only ones using them. The girls of the pack snuggle close to their wolves to stay warm. A cooler of beer materializes, and conversation flows. Tyler flatters Leah with unwanted attention, but she accepts it gamely, and with no real intention of reciprocating. While he is off getting them drinks, she mentions to Bella that it's nice to be sincerely flirted with by an attractive guy, even if she could break him in half. Jacob snickers and asks if she plans on testing Tyler's endurance, and she punches him hard in the arm. Mike, slightly inebriated, notes to Bella that her new boyfriend is a lot friendlier than her old one, and is startled when the entire pack breaks out with howls of laughter. Lauren and Paul have moved far away from the rest of the pack, but not far enough away. They are just in the edge of the woods, and he has her pressed up against a tree. He has decided that it is safe to make out with her, and figures if that is interesting enough, maybe he'll take her somewhere more private. He doesn't really care if the pack overhears them, but figures she probably won't be quite so willing if she thinks they have an audience.

Then Sam decides it is high time to eat, since it is always time for the pack to eat, and he moves up to the grills to start lighting coals. Soon everyone is gathered around the food. As quickly as Sam can pull hot dogs and hamburgers off the grill, they disappear. Bella's desserts are gone in no time flat, and she receives compliments about all of them, and a sincere thank you from Emily for preparing them. Angela marvels aloud at the appetite of the pack members, and Mike asks if he eats as much as they do, will he grow as tall?

Out of the blue, Jacob springs up from his spot at Bella's side and takes off running, away from Bella and away from his food. Bella is alarmed at his abrupt departure, and even more so when he picks up a beautiful girl and starts swinging her around, a giant grin on his face, until she feels Leah's hand on her arm. Leah knows exactly what she is worried about. "Rachel's home, Bella." Bella's panic subsides.

Rachel is marveling at her baby brother's size and appearance, and when he sets her back on her feet, has to crane her neck back to look at him. They walk back to the group, Rachel tucked under Jacob's arm. She is busy telling him he has a fever when Jacob waves Bella over and tucks her under his other arm, reintroducing them after years of separation. Rachel clearly looks confused. The last time Billy mentioned Bella on the phone, it was in the context of Jacob obsessing over the girl, whom she thought was engaged to someone else. She sneaks a peek at Bella's left hand, doesn't see an engagement ring, and files the information away to ask Billy later.

Several of the pack members she remembers, and wonders at their collective changed appearance. She asks out loud if someone has been passing steroids to the boys on the Rez. Jacob introduces her to Emily, Jared and Kim, and Brady, and she greets Collin, Sam, Quil, Embry, Leah, and Seth warmly, easily recalling their names. Then she meets the kids from Forks, and finally Jacob points out Paul and Lauren.

Paul is faced away from them and still has her pressed against the tree. Lauren has her hands on his arms and her breasts pushed against him, and it is finally working. He is now staring down directly at her cleavage. She is trying to snuggle into his body and is cooing over his body heat. Paul gets momentarily distracted when he hears his name spoken behind him, but doesn't bother to turn around. He has finally decided he is going to sleep with her again. She can sense the difference in his mood and feels victorious.

Rachel settles in next to her brother. She explains to Bella and Leah that she has graduated early after finishing her last summer classes, and is coming home for a visit before she starts a Master's program in the fall. Jacob beams with pride at his sister. She also tells them how Rebecca is doing in Hawaii, and asks Jacob about his plans for after he graduates. He evades the questions, and she notices, wondering why he isn't seeking a scholarship like she had. She knows he is smart enough. Jacob is finally rescued when Sam announces that the last batch of burgers is coming off the grill, and Jacob urges Rachel to fix a plate for herself. He settles back behind Bella, pulling her between his legs so she can lean against him.

Paul and Lauren head for the food table as well. They haven't eaten yet, as they were too busy making out. Paul may be horny, but his wolf wants food more than it wants sex. Lauren keeps his attention by continually keeping in contact with his body, running her fingers down his arm or chest or just pressing herself to him. He thinks she is way too clingy, but has no intention of seeing her again after he screws her. She is leaving at the end of the summer, so even if she stalks him again, it will only be for another month or so. So he figures there is no harm in sleeping with her again. That is, until he brushes up against a delicate looking hand while reaching for a hamburger bun, and looks up into the warm, brown eyes of Rachel Black.

Bella feels Jacob stiffen behind her, and feels Jacob's arms wrap around her more tightly. Leah sits up straighter. From their vantage point, they can see both Rachel and Paul from the side, facing one another. Rachel is smiling politely at Paul, who is frozen stiff, half-full plate in hand, bent awkwardly over the table. Rachel has straightened up, but Paul's position makes it look like he is reaching for her hand. He can't take his eyes off her.

Jacob's voice is hard. Bella can feel him shaking a little. "No. Not him. Not to her."

Bella looks to Leah, whose face is a carefully neutral mask. Bella asks aloud, "What? Who?"

Leah is fascinated and appalled. She gestures to the picnic table with her chin. "Look, it's happening right now."

Lauren, meanwhile, is missing the momentous event happening right in front of her. "Do you want a hot dog instead, baby? Or a couple of each? You've got a ravenous appetite, in more ways than one." She throws him a flirtatious smirk, but he misses it entirely. Rachel, however, does not. She reaches her hand out to shake Lauren's hand.

"I'm Rachel. Pleased to meet you."

Lauren looks at her appraisingly, and shakes her hand loosely. "Lauren. I'm with Paul."

Rachel nods at them both. "Lahote, right? It's been a while. Nice to see you again." She isn't sure how to handle Paul's intense gaze in front of his girlfriend, so when he doesn't immediately respond, she quickly grabs her burger and makes her way back to her brother's side. "What's up with him?" she whispers, unaware that he can hear every word she says.

Jacob's grip keeps slowly tightening on Bella, and she strokes his hands and arms wherever she can reach, slowly and softly, to keep him calm. She manages somehow to keep her own cool, despite her own rapidly plummeting mood. He glares at Paul, who hasn't moved other than to turn just enough to keep Rachel in his direct line of sight. "He's bad news, Rach. Just bad news."

"I remember him. He was a mean kid with a nasty temper. Thought he'd turn into a real punk." Jacob laughs darkly as Paul looks at them, appearing devastated at her words. Lauren is trying to tug Paul away from the table unsuccessfully. Eventually he begins to recover some of his senses and realizes she has stopped pulling at his arm and is running her hand up and down his bare abdomen. He jumps away in disgust.

Rachel asks, "What's going on with him and his girlfriend?"

Leah scoffs. "She's not his girlfriend. She's anyone's girlfriend who wants one for a night. She was pawing at your baby brother before he managed to peel her off him, before Paul got here. Then she tried for Seth until she realized how young he is."

Rachel laughs and loses interest in the spectacle. "When did you get to be such a stud, Jake? I'll bet you're beating the girls off with sticks." It is meant in fun, but it only makes Bella feel worse. Watching an imprint right in front of her own eyes is devastating, and her fears threaten to overwhelm her. Even in the midst of his own anger, Jacob senses her distress. His arms are still firmly wrapped around her middle, and now she holds his arms tightly in her hands. He loosens a hand to run it lightly up and down the side of her cheek and neck.

"I'm a one woman man, Rach. It's Bells. Just Bells." His voice is quiet and husky. He knows what the imprint is doing to her. Knows how much it scares her that the same thing will happen to him. He plans on taking every possible opportunity to reassure her that he loves her, and only her.

Rachel looks at them with a twinkle in her eye. "Bella, did he tell you how long he's had a crush on you?" She means to tease him a bit; it certainly seems safe, considering how her brother and his girlfriend are clinging to one another.

Bella relaxes infinitesimally and gives Rachel a small smile. "He told me a story about when he was about four, that he remembers all the way back then." Jacob kisses the top of her head.

Rachel laughs out loud. "I was hoping to embarrass him a little in front of you, but I can't beat that by much. But I guarantee you it goes back even further, even if he doesn't remember. I can't vouch for when he was actually a baby, but when he was two, he chased you all over the place. Don't know if it counts as a crush, but he followed you around like he was your shadow."

They continue to reminisce. Bella finds Rachel to be warm and open, just like Jacob. And Rachel remembers a couple of embarrassing stories starring an inebriated Charlie Swan that Bella plans to use against him. Once the food has been consumed, and the mood has clearly shifted, people start to trickle away. Jessica and Mike seem to have gotten back together, at least for the time being, and they leave together. Angela and Ben depart for a pre-planned date after Angela gives Bella a warm smile and a tight hug. Bella promises that they will get together soon, and is relieved to find that she means it sincerely.

Eventually, Leah takes over the conversation, giving her updates regarding other old friends from LaPush. But Rachel can't concentrate on the conversation. She feels Paul's gaze burning on her. Lauren has finally given up and gone home, so Paul gives her his undivided attention. Emily and Sam have pulled him to sit with them, and they both look concerned. Especially since Jacob keeps shooting him death glares. Tyler and Eric, both rather drunk, don't really notice what is going on around them.

Finally, Rachel just comes out and asks Jacob and Leah directly. "Okay, what on earth is going on?"

The rest of the pack falls silent, and look to Jacob, who is furrowing his brow and pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers. Quil finally breaks the silence from his spot down the beach, and addresses Jacob. "It's your call, boss. We'll follow your lead."

He heaves a heavy sigh, releases Bella and stands. He finally addresses Paul. "Go run it off, man. We'll talk later." He leans over to kiss Bella on the forehead, and then sweetly on the lips. "I'll come over as soon as I can, okay? Leave your window open." He beckons Sam and Emily over. "I could use some help on this one, guys." Finally he holds out his hand to his sister, pulls her up to her feet, and sets off down the beach.

Bella feels adrift after Jacob walks away, and doesn't stick around for much longer. Her old terror is creeping up on her, and Jacob is no longer around to keep her safe; to hold it at bay. Leah leaves with Bella, making no attempts to pacify her. She knows there is no point. She, of all people, has nothing comforting to say about imprinting, but does place her hand on Bella's shoulder when Bella wraps her arms around her middle, which is rolling with nauseated waves. Bella finds that the gesture actually relaxes her a bit.

Leah asks Bella to make a detour at a specialty foods shop in Forks, miraculously still open, and emerges with a small paper bag in hand. When they arrive at Bella's house, she pulls out the ingredients for spicy chocolate, and warms milk and melts chocolate in a double boiler. She slices open long, slender vanilla beans and scrapes out the tiny seeds. "You know you still did the right thing, don't you?" Leah finally breaks the silence.

Bella is sitting at the kitchen table rubbing her temples with her fingers. "I guess."

She doesn't mince words. "Let's say Jake imprints on some other girl tonight, and he leaves you forever." Bella feels like her heart is being squeezed tightly in the center of her chest. "Would you want to go back and erase the past few days? Wipe them out like they never existed?"

In a small voice, Bella answers, "I couldn't take it, Leah. It would destroy me."

"That wasn't the question. If you could undo it, would you?"

Bella pauses, but the answer is clear, and Leah knows it. "No. I wouldn't."

"So there you have it." Leah stirs the melted chocolate and milk together, and adds the spices. She sets a mug in front of Bella. "No regrets, okay? We talked about this before, remember? I have all kinds of regrets. Everyone knows that. But falling or Sam was never one of them. Do you get it now?"

Bella nods and sips at her chocolate. "You were also right about the vanilla."

Leah smirks. "Now you're catching on. I'm right about a lot of things." Then she proceeds to distract Bella with tales of Paul and Lauren, as well as Paul with numerous other girls, only half of whom whose names he remembers. She explains that Paul still hadn't recalled Lauren's name until she introduced herself to Rachel. She could tell since he kept calling her 'babe'. "Rachel deserves better, Bella. Jacob will certainly think so."

"Maybe she'll make him better."

Leah scoffs. "She can't exactly make him worse. We'll have to wait and see if he's any good for her. Jake isn't going to think so, that's for sure."

Eventually, Charlie emerges in his uniform to head to work, and he is no longer surprised to see Leah in his kitchen. As long as it isn't Edward Cullen, he's happy. "Figured you guys would still be in LaPush." Leah pours chocolate into his travel mug and hands it to him. Yep, he is definitely glad Bella is spending more time in LaPush and less with Edward.

Leah replies, "Rachel Black came home, and we gave them some time for a little family reunion."

Charlie's face lights up. "Billy must be thrilled! I didn't know she was coming back. Hey, this is good." He drinks more chocolate.

"Sounds like she finished her summer exams and decided to visit. Not sure how long she'll stick around."

"Isn't she going for her masters degree?"

Leah looks at Bella and shrugs. "Maybe."

Charlie looks confused and resolves to ask Billy about it. He heads out, and soon Leah follows, walking into the woods. "I'll stick around until he gets here, Bella."

Bella isn't sure if she is glad to be alone or not, but it's a bit of a relief not to try to hold it together. She takes a very long shower and climbs into bed to wait for Jake. She waits for hours. By the time he jumps through her window, she has worked herself into a bit of a panic, and he is just angry. Both of them are exhausted.

He climbs into her bed and into her arms. He tucks his face into her neck and breathes deep, calming breaths. "Mmmm. That's so much better. You smell so good." He presses his lips against her throat, and she sighs at the sensation. He slips his hand into her robe to stroke his fingers along the soft flesh of her side, but the gesture is one of comfort rather than one of desire. Her heart still races as he wraps the other arm around her, and Jacob senses her distress. "Tell me, honey."

"I thought imprinting was supposed to be rare, Jake."

"That's what we were told, anyway." He sighs. "We were told lots of things. It doesn't matter, anyway, not to us." He speaks quietly but firmly, and draws circles on her stomach with his fingertips.

"But what if it does?" Her voice is shaking.

He pulls back so he can look her in the eye. "You're the only one for me. You know that."

Tears well up in her eyes. "Then why didn't you imprint on me?"

"Honestly? I have a few theories about that. Maybe it's because I've already loved you for my whole life, and I don't need any imprint to tell me I'm supposed to be with you. But I really don't think that's it. I think it's a crock of shit that imprinting is about finding your soulmate." This statement surprises Bella. Sam and Emily and Jared and Kim seem so happy.

"It has some purpose, I'm also sure about that. But soulmates have nothing to do with it. It's ridiculous, even in nature. Baby ducks can imprint on sticks, blocks of wood, or shoes!" He finally gets a laugh out of Bella. He smiles at her response, and stops to kiss her softly on the lips. Then he sobers.

"Rachel didn't think much of Paul before he imprinted, and she still thinks he's a jackass. And she doesn't know the half of what a womanizer and a prick he can be, and that's after she saw him making out Lauren when she showed up. There's no way that he's the best man in the world for my sister. She might be good for him, but there's no way he's good for her!" Jacob's voice is rising in anger. His jaw is tight. "She's gonna feel obligated to stay here for him, or she's gonna leave and destroy him. She enrolled in a Master's program, Bella! She has plans!"

Jacob is gripping her like she is about to float away. Bella reaches up to run her fingers through her hair. She knows it comforts him. He sighs and settles back down, resting his cheek on her breast. "Anyway, he's not the only bad example. Quil imprinting on Claire is just wrong, but don't tell him I said so. Or it will be, if she grows up and he starts to... want her. Maybe he'll just stay her big brother. It all depends on what she decides. But the imprint keeps him from falling for anyone else, Bella, it's so unfair!" Bella is relieved to find that she isn't the only one who thinks it's awful what happened to sweet, goofy Quil.

Jacob continues, "And I don't have to tell you what imprinting did to Leah. I hate it. They hate it. It made them hurt Leah in a way that still tears them both up and made them go against their very natures. And they're fooled into thinking everything's just fine. Well, now we can all see into Leah's brain, and it's not fine. And Jared actively ignored Kim for years. It's not like they were two strangers who got pulled together by some unstoppable force. They sat next to each other for years in class, and she mooned over him the whole time. If he was meant to be with her, he would have figured it out on his own. I'm happy for her, don't get me wrong, but how would you like it if the person whom you've crushed on for ages, who couldn't be bothered to learn your name, was forced to love you instead of actually loving you?"

"It wouldn't feel real," Bella whispers.

"Exactly! Because it wouldn't be real! So how can it be about soulmates? The pairs don't make any sense. Imprinting is about forcing people together, artificially, who otherwise aren't supposed to be. If they were really soulmates, they wouldn't need some crazy tribal magic to tell them so." He kisses her fiercely. "I know what real love feels like, Bells, because I've felt it for you for my whole life. So if I imprint, and I really believe I won't, I'll break the damn thing come Hell or high-water because as fair as I can see, none of the pairs are really supposed to be together, and it will just be proof to me that this isn't someone I'm really supposed to be with. And I know I'm strong enough to do it."

And Bella finally understands. Finally glimpses the depths to which his feelings run. She is stunned. He wraps his fingers through her hair and draws her in for a searing kiss, and after long minutes of a passionate embrace, leans back to whisper one more thing into her ear. His voice is a low pitched growl. "Besides, Isabella, imprinting is about what the wolf wants. And my wolf already wants you."

He is going to show her, to prove to her, his devotion. He is going to let his wolf out tonight, to show her with his body and his words exactly how much he loves and desires her. He plans on giving her no choice. It is just what she needs, the certainty of his conviction. And they both know he will stop at the first sign of her distress. "This comes off now." He pulls the robe off and away, and tosses it to the floor. He eyes her hungrily, and she is instantly aroused. Because the look on his face is primal, needy, and most of all, honest.

His voice drops low into his Alpha tenor as he steps off the bed, never looking away from her. "Kneel." She moves to comply, and as she does so, her body flushes with want for him. The scent fills his nostrils, and he closes his eyes momentarily to breathe it in. When he opens them again, she is on her knees in front of him.

He will only talk to her in one voice tonight. She needs to know that his wolf had chosen her, so he will only speak to her in the wolf's voice. He issues her another order. "Undress me."

She wants it. Wants him. Wants the wolf and the man. Wants no space to exist between them so that no one can tear them apart. Wants him to own her, and herself to own him. Wants him to mark her again, and wishes she could mark him as well. She licks her lips and looks directly in his eyes as she reaches out and unbuttons his fly, unzips him, and lowers his shorts. He steps out of them, and she drops her gaze to his massive length, which is growing hard right before her eyes. She pants in anticipation, and her nipples tighten in response. He notices.

"Pinch your nipples. Hard." She moans out loud in response, and obeys. It isn't as good as when he does it himself, but as his eyes dilate in arousal watching her, she remembers her power over him. It's a rush like none other. She tosses her head back, closes her eyes, and loses herself in the experience. His breathing grows ragged as he watches her. He needs her touch, and soon. "Roll them. Tightly." She complies and groans her pleasure. His cock throbs in response and jumps toward her.

"Lick it. Lick my cock." She dips her head toward him, and uses a delicate touch with the tip of her tongue, up and down along the sides of his shaft. She doesn't stop pulling at her nipples since he didn't tell her to. His hands clench in fists at his sides. He can smell how wet she is getting, and tries to figure out if he wants her mouth or her pussy more.

"More, Isabella." His voice is tight. She starts to lave at his shaft with wide sweeps of her tongue, and circles the head lightly, relishing his salty flavor. He groans each time she comes in contact with the most sensitive part of his crown. She looks up at him as she licks at him. There is a little light filtering in through the open window, illuminating him. She can't believe her little Jake has turned into this amazing man.

"Lower. In your mouth." She dips further, and takes one of his balls into her mouth, sucks at it gently. He gasps. "Your hand," he adds. So she starts to pump his shaft with her right hand lightly, leaving her left to keep pinching her nipple. His head drops back. He can hardly believe his luck. That she not only agrees to this, but that it turns her on. He can smell it all around them, heavy in the air, see the pink flush of her skin, hear her happy, unconscious moans. The vibration of her humming around him is amazing.

"Harder. Pump harder." She tightens her grip and he grits his teeth in response. It's almost as hard as when he grips himself when he thinks of her. He decides to show her. But not yet. He isn't done with her yet.

"Isabella, both hands." She has to release him from her mouth in order to accomplish this, and does so. She drops her left breast and grabs onto his cock with her left hand above her right, and twists her fists as she rhythmically moves them up and down. He looks down at her with not only lust in his eye, but adoration. She keeps her gaze locked with his, and sees. Sees how much she means to him. Sees what this act represents. Sees that he never wants anyone else here with him, and that he will do anything to ensure it.  
"Suck my cock." His voice is a bare whisper, but she can hear the Alpha nonetheless. She pauses, stills her hands momentarily, and addresses the wolf.

"I love you. Both of you. All of you. And I understand now. I'm yours, and you're mine, and you won't let anything, anyone, change that." He almost drops to his own knees so he can hold her, but before he can make a move, she lowers her lips to him, places a sweet kiss to the sensitive crown of his cock, and envelops him in her mouth.

His wolf howls in delight. She suckles at the large head, adding pressure with her tongue. She holds him still at the base, not pumping him yet, to draw out his pleasure. He lets her control the movements for several minutes, and is not disappointed. She revels in his sharp gasps and humming moans, and know she is the cause. That it is that much better because it is her performing the act. That he never wants anyone else to touch him this way.

"More. Your fists." She complies, pumping firmly in time with the bobbing of her head, and he releases a throaty moan. He runs his fingers through her hair lightly. "I love fucking your mouth, Isabella."

She releases him momentarily with a pop, and speaks to him in a throaty whisper. "So fuck my mouth. Take me. I'm yours."

He snarls, "Naughty girl," and wraps his hands through her hair tightly, and holds her still. He starts thrusting into her throat. She loves it, and gets even wetter in response. He smells the rush of her arousal and can't hold back. His tightens his grip on her. He thrusts in as far as she can stand, again and again, grunting with each stroke. Her body thrums with desire for him. She looks up at him as he pleasures himself with her body. He is beautiful, and he is hers.

They can both sense his explosion approaching. His balls tighten against his body and his controlled thrusts become irregular jerks. He looks down at the lovely creature kneeling at his feet. The girl he always loved has grown into a wanton, gorgeous woman. She will be his only, and he hers. "Isabella. Suck me dry." His voice is hoarse but still commanding. When she opens her shining eyes and looks directly into his, he lets go, pleasure overtaking him, shooting long streams into her mouth. She revels in his orgasm. At what she does to him.

She holds him still, swallows his essence, softly suckling at him and drawing out his aftershocks. He relaxes his hold, and moves to gently stroke her hair. But he isn't done, and they both know it. He won't be done until she is totally satisfied.

"Up, Isabella." She stands, and he cups her skull with his hand, and lowers his lips to hers. His kiss is harsh and almost bruising. She tastes of him, and his wolf purrs in satisfaction. He walks her back toward her bed, and gently but firmly pushes her down to lie back. He kisses her, and kisses her, and kisses her, endlessly. She would beg him to fuck her if she could speak. Then he lifts himself up, and he stands at the foot of her bed and places his hands on his hips. He runs his eyes up and down her form. He wants to watch her. It is one of his favorite fantasies.

He issues an order. "Show me." Her eyes widen. Is he asking what she thinks he is? He nods at her unspoken question. "You know what I want. Show me."

Almost without conscious thought, her left hand moves to her breast, and her right between her legs. She would be embarrassed, but she remembers how arousing it was to watching him perform this act on himself, and wants to do this for him. She tentatively starts to rub delicate circles around her clitoris with one finger. She unconsciously holds her breath, and gets a bit dizzy. It only intensifies the eroticism of the experience. It feels wonderful.

"Breathe, Isabella." She takes gasping breaths, which makes her breasts heave. He smiles a feral grin. He licks his lips, and she wishes his tongue was on her instead of her own hand, but she knows the effect her actions have on him, so she continues. She rubs herself with a surer touch, and a small moan escapes her lips. He stares at the subtle movement of her hand. He loves that she is willing to do this for him. She is even more enticing than he imagined. "You're so sexy," he whispers.

She grows restless under her own touch. She craves his tongue, his lips, the heat of his skin. She moves her fingers faster, and starts to pant. She climbs higher. He can read her like a book. "You want more." She whimpers and nods.

"One finger. Inside that sweet body of yours." She complies, and wishes she was as good at bringing herself pleasure as he is. "Feel how soft you are. How tight you are. Think of how good your pussy feels on my cock." His words make her melt inside. Turn her on like nothing else, no one else, can. "Find that spot. The one that makes you crazy."

She didn't know that place existed Inside her before he showed it to her. There were a lot of things she didn't know about herself before she let Jacob into her heart. And if it weren't for his tenacious devotion to her, his dedication to making her happy and whole, his relentless pursuit of the girl he knew in his heart to be his, despite rejection after rejection, she would be lost. Damned.

She strokes the spot with the finger buried inside her, and climbs still higher. She writhes on her own hand, and a sheen of sweat starts to bead on her skin. He watches, actively restraining himself from pouncing on her so they can play this game a little longer.

"Another finger, Isabella." She can't get enough of his voice. She wants him so badly, wants his hands on her instead of her own. But as she presses another finger inside her body, reaching inside herself for a pleasure she knows is there, she bites her bottom lip. And with that small gesture that he loves so much, he takes himself in hand, and her heart moves into her throat.

Without knowing it, her hand stills as she watches him. His brow is furrowed, his chest heaving. The prominent musculature of his arm bulging as he strokes himself. He grips his cock tightly and pumps slowly. It is hypnotizing. Her pulse speeds up, and she licks her lips as her mouth goes dry with want for him.

"I didn't tell you to stop." He grits out the words through his clenched jaw. She resumes curling her fingers in her body, and starts to pump her hand in rhythm with his strokes. "Yesss..." he hisses. "Do you know how many times I've imagined you doing this? Fucking yourself with your hand? Every time I thought of you this way, touching myself and wishing I was with you? Wishing I could bury myself in your body as you came?"

His words, and the eroticism of watching him milk his huge cock in his fist, put her right on the edge. She can't believe such a perfect specimen is hers, and hers alone. He will not show this to anyone else. Will not do this for anyone else. The man is hers. The wolf is hers. And she will never show this side of herself to another. It is exhilarating.

"You know now, don't you? You know exactly what you do to me. You love how crazy you make me. You drive me out of my mind. I want you so badly. I always have. You're it. You're the only one who does this to me."

He licks his lips and pumps himself faster. He pauses to spread his own weeping lubrication over his large head, groans at the feeling, and then issues another order. "The heel of your hand. Against your clit." She obeys, and struggles against the urge to close her eyes as two distinct forms of pleasure from her center threaten to overwhelm her. There is no way she can look away when Jacob looks so enticing. His words, his body, his attitude. He is pure, raw sex. Focused exclusively on her.

He moves to the side of the bed just to her side. He doesn't let go of his erection, but keeps pumping at himself, hard. He leans over and braces himself with his free hand, so that he is poised over her. She can feel the heat radiating off his body even though he doesn't touch her. He stops just short of her lips. "Naughty girl wants to come, doesn't she?" She whimpers a response. "Soon." He pulls away, and return seconds later with a condom rolled onto his length. He kisses her lips. "Then come. Ride your own hand," he orders her, and lowers his mouth to her breast and lightly bites down on her nipple, flicking the tip with his tongue. She screams her orgasm, and bucks against her own touch.

He holds her in that amazing place for several long seconds, then pulls her hand from her body. He swiftly parts her thighs and shifts himself between her legs, pulls her hips up, and buries himself deeply inside her, with a low snarl of, "Mine!"

This. This is perfection. Entering her when she is already coming. He revels in the sensation of her clenching down on him. His huge girth stimulates all her pleasure points at once and prolongs and intensifies her orgasm. She is wild beneath him, crying out his name in hitching gasps, grabbing blindly at his arms, arching her breasts into his chest and twisting her hips to stimulate her clitoris against him. He stills her by pinning both her wrists above her head with the firm grip of one hand, and places his other hand next to her hip for leverage. He has her stretched out taut beneath him. He needs to calm her down, just a little. Because he plans to fuck her long and hard, and doesn't want her to get overstimulated and uncomfortable.

He pulls out, and slams back in. She wails and bends her knees, planting her feet on the mattress to stabilize herself. He may have her upper body restricted of movement, but this way she can lift her hips to meet him. So the next time he pulls back out and slams back in, she is still able to work her clitoris against his pubic bone. She is still coming in waves, now crooning, "Yours, Jacob, ahhhhh... Only yours."

He is ecstatic as he moves firmly within her. The fulfillment he finds in the depths of her body is only surpassed by that of knowing what he is doing to her. That in his arms, she is free, whole, and blissfully happy.

In between slow, hard thrusts, his wolf talks to her upon each withdrawal. "Do you see?" He grunts as he pounds against her womb. "Can you feel?" He groans and slams back in. "I want only you." His Alpha tenor is so low, she feels his words actually vibrate in her breastbone before he pistons back in. "I choose you." He repeats the movement with conviction in his body and his voice. "You are mine." He pounds back in. "I will never want another."

She believes him, but she still doesn't know why he has chosen her. The wolf himself has addressed her directly, and he, like Jacob the man, has no guile in him.

She keeps coming and coming and coming. This time, he will not let her down at all, will not allow her body to relax. He has her where he wants her, and he knows her body better than she does, so he keeps her there. It is one of the reasons he still has her arms pinned above her. As long as he continues to take control, her body will respond exactly as he wants it to. And he wants her to keep coming. So he keeps slamming into her at just the right angle, deeply, with a firm but measured pace. Each time she almost starts to come down, he withdraws almost completely, and pounds back in. It is just slow enough to keep from totally overwhelming her, but just right to make her orgasm again and again.

She can barely bring herself to speak. The entirety of her being is filled, surrounded by her Jacob. But she has to ask him one more thing. She gasps for air to fill her lungs so she can talk, and she struggles to find the words. She needs to know before she can finally accept it. "Why, Jacob? Why me?"

He pauses, still deep inside her, long enough for her to come back down to earth. He stares down at her, his pupils dilated so far that the irises are nearly gone. The world had disappeared. They are the only two people in existence. He wants her as badly as she wants him. He releases her wrists so he can bury his hand in her hair, and lowers his lips to hers. She loses track of how long he kisses her, his cock hard and still within her body, and if it weren't for wanting the answer to her question, would love to just kiss him forever. Just like this.

Eventually time moves on, though, and Jacob pulls out of her entirely, moving around the bed. She sits up, alarmed, her arms empty. "Where are you going?" He moves the freestanding mirror in the corner to face her from the foot of the bed.

Now he speaks in Jacob's own husky, low voice. "I've told you how I feel. Now you need to see yourself. As I see you." He lies down on his back so that his head is at the bottom of the bed, bending his knees so that he fits, and he draws her over him. It is difficult for his wolf to stay in this submissive position, but she needs this. She needs to know. He pulls her into position, straddling him, centered over his cock. He holds it up with his fist wrapped around the base, and moves to lower her onto him with his other hand.

The Alpha timbre returns. "Watch here first." She complies, looking down to watch his cock disappearing into her body. She gasps, both from the amazing stretch of him, and from how erotic it looks. "Do you see?" he asks. She whimpers and nods. He grits his teeth and grinds his jaw to stay still.

He moves both hands to her hips, and lifts her up. "Look in the mirror." Then he pulls her back down and she moans. She is shocked at her reflection. Her back is arched, her breasts jutting proudly out, her nipples taut and peaked. Her hair falls in chaotic curls around her shoulders and down her back. Her waist is narrow, her belly flat, and her hips curve out deliciously. Her thighs are slim and long wrapped around his bulk. Her skin is flushed and glowing in the moon's reflected light. Her lashes are long on her eyelids, her eyes are shining, and her lips are swollen and red. "Do you see?" And she does. This is how Jacob sees her? A desirable, beautiful woman. Sensual. Sexual.

She whispers, "How did you know?"

He responds in his own voice again. "I watched you. Listened to you. To the things you said, and the things you wouldn't say out loud. I learned you. I know you. So the wolf knows you." He lifts her up again. The wolf speaks again. "Watch." He slams her down. And she sees. Sees herself moving over his body. Sees the ecstasy in her expression, looks down and sees it reflected in his own. He keeps his hands on her hips, guiding her movements, but no longer taking full control.

"Ride me, Isabella, and see yourself as you are." He lets go of her, moving his fists to grip the sheets on either side of his head. It is so hard not to pound into her, hard not to fuck her hard until he comes. But she needs this. He needs her to understand. She raises herself up without his assistance, and lowers herself onto him. She is gentle at first, working herself slowly back up. She pauses from time to time, seated fully on him, and swirls her hips so that her clitoris grinds against him. She shudders with the sensation. It is hard to look away from his own body, massive and powerful but complaint beneath her. But she obeys his order, and sees herself riding him, then writhing on him, then riding him again. She goes slowly, fascinated by their bodies moving against each other. He tolerates the slow, tortuous pace for as long as he can.

"More, Isabella," he growls, so she picks up speed. She has to look down at him. He is too captivating to resist. He is tense in his passivity. She drinks in his form, hungrily eyeing his tightened and prominent musculature, his dark, smooth skin, his slim hips pumping up to meet her. His jaw is clenched and hard, his full lips pulled back, baring his gritted teeth, his eyes glittering with lust. Lust for her and only her. She understands.

"Do you see?" She moans an agreement. She braces her hands on his chest to give herself more leverage, and sits up so far he nearly falls out of her, and slams herself back down. They cry out together. She sees

that the position pushes her breasts together, and that they bounce with each aggressive movement. She looks down at him, watches him gazing at her breasts, and understands. She does it again, and again, and again.

She is close. So close. She is growing tired. Her legs are burning with their exertion. But she somehow still climbs higher. And he has been holding out for endless minutes, waiting for her. She knows he wants to flip her over and take control. His eyes are locked onto the spot where their bodies join. She now understands what the sight of it does to him. So moves her finger to her mouth, waits until he is watching her lips, delicately licks her own finger and sucks it into her mouth, and releases it with a little pop. She hears a deep grumble from his chest. Then she lowers her hand, and without pausing in her movements on his cock, circles her clitoris with the lubricated digit. He growls and reaches up to twist her nipples in his hands, and the feeling of his cock filling her, her own fingers stimulating her core, and his hands at her breasts, all the sensations combine and push her over the edge.

She bucks and writhes and spasms all over him, around him, on top of him. She comes over and over again with both their hands on her body. But still he holds out. She needs one more thing from him. As she cries out, she manages to string a few words together. "Aaaahh... Jacob... Please... Ohhhh... Please... Mark me... Mmmm... Mark me again..."

And he roars. He flips them over so that a second later, he is on top of her. He slams into her body once, twice, a third time, then pulls out and turns her onto her hands and knees. He parts her legs roughly with his knee, pushes her down onto her elbows, and grabs her by her hips. He issues one more order in a snarl. "I'm going to fuck you. You're going to love it. And you're going to watch me mark you."

Then he slams into her, all the way. She screams. He doesn't pause for a single moment. He curses as he pounds into her body, and she immediately begins to orgasm again. Her body shakes with his assault, and with the surges of rapture radiating out from her core. She can barely hold the position under the force of his thrusts, but braces herself and manages to keep her eyes on the mirror. He meets her gaze with his own, and she cannot look away. He is covered in sweat, his huge body glistening, outlining every one of his contracted muscles. He is growling and snarling and swearing in his lustful haze. He is beautiful.

He cannot last much longer. It has been over an hour since he came down her throat, and he has been buried inside of her for much of the time since then. And he has unleashed something primal within her, something that calls to his wolf. He has already made her his, but his mark is subtle. She cannot see it herself, despite how sensitive it feels. He brushes her hair over her right shoulder, and lower his lips to the mark. He kisses it lightly as he continues to slam into her, and electricity shoots through her body. Her cries break and become ragged moans. He licks it, and she screams.

He was going to deepen the mark there, but he realizes that if he creates a different mark, he will leave an entirely new erogenous zone on her body. So he pulls out, stands at the side of the bed, flips her onto her back, and tugs her so that her head hanging off the opposite side. He still wants her to see in the mirror, and growls, "Watch." She turns her head right, and still has a perfect view of them from the side. He grabs her legs which are now draped over the other side of the bed, and supports them by pulling them over his arms, which he braces on either side of her waist. It opens her wide, so as soon as she is in position, he begins to fuck her again. She watches their bodies come together with lust and fascination.

Now that he finally has her just where he wants her, he curls his back so he can lower his lips to her right breast without missing a beat. He licks around the nipple, and she wails, and her pussy clamps down on him again. She barely manages to keep her eyes open. And for him, that's it. He has to come now. He licks a path up to the swell of her breast, and as he slams into her hard, drilling his massive cock deep inside her, sinks his teeth into her soft, willing flesh with a feral growl, and experiences the strongest orgasm he has ever had.

She screams, and comes, and comes, the new mark throbbing with the purest ache she had ever experienced. It is even better than the mark he gave her in their dream. Better because they are both really here, and wholly in love. She watches him bucking inside her, his teeth sunken into the flesh of her breast, and she sees. She understands. He will do anything for her, because Jacob the man has loved her his whole life, and Jacob the wolf had claimed her as his own. She gives herself gladly.


	27. Chapter 27

Rating: MA for violence

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Sunday  
X-x-x-x-X

Bella is startled awake the next morning when her soft, warm pillow yanks out from under her head, and she tips over into a newly empty space in her bed. She blinks, confused, and reaches for the blankets jumbled at her feet. It is cold all of a sudden, except for the warm dip she has just fallen into. She draws the covers around herself just as Charlie knocks quietly on her door. She makes sure her nude form is fully covered before clearing her throat and calling for him to come in.

"Morning, dad." She hopes he doesn't come in far, and he unconsciously obliges, leaning in the hallway. Thankfully, his angle doesn't allow him to see the mirror at the foot of her bed. She has no idea how she would explain its position, although the likelihood he would immediately jump to the right conclusion is sort of low.

"Morning, Bells. I brought breakfast for you. Stopped at the diner. It's in the oven. I'm hitting the shower, then I'm gonna sack out a bit. Drunks took up the early half of the shift. Including Lauren, the one from your class. Was she at the bonfire yesterday?"

She nods from her spot under the covers and tries to will him away with her mind. She would feel a lot more comfortable talking to him if she was wearing pajamas.

"I caught her drifting out of her lane of traffic at one in the morning. She blew a .11. Was drunk as a skunk. I took her home instead of making her come down to the station in the middle of the night, but it isn't going to help much. Starting a little young with the DUI charge." He gets a smirk on his face. "When she saw me she asked me why you, and I'm quoting here, 'took all the best meat off the table'."

Bella groans and wants to slide her head under her covers until she spots movement through the slightly ajar door of her closet. Jacob is in there. He is shaking with silent laughter.

"She said it was your fault she was hammered." Now Bella is alarmed. Is Lauren going to get the pack in trouble for underaged drinking? But Charlie starts chuckling. "Said if you'd only let her have 'some prime rib', she wouldn't have had to 'settle for the ground chuck'. She was heading out of that biker bar on the old state road. Any chance Jacob is the prime rib?"

Bella blushes in response, and Charlie steps away laughing, "Thought so. Billy's gonna love it!" and closes the door. Jacob nearly falls out of the closet. He is blushing even harder than Bella.

As he climbs back in bed and wraps his arms around her, they hear the shower turn on. She asks, "Does that make Seth a strip steak or a petite filet?" and they both snort with laughter.

He buries his face in her hair and inhales deeply. He is purely happy. "I'd say I want to wake up with you this way every morning, but frankly, I wouldn't. We came really close to getting caught by your father."

She grins. "I sort of fell over in the bed when you got out. If it hadn't been so cold without you, he would have come in while I was uncovered. I'm not sure if he might have been too flustered at seeing me naked to have the wherewithal to search the room for you, but I'm glad we didn't have to find out."

"And we're lucky he didn't notice your, um, sex hair." Jacob runs his fingers through it. It doesn't look full-on rat's nest, but it also doesn't look like a good night's sleep.

"Fortunately or unfortunately, he would have chalked that up to nightmares anyway," she notes. She rolls over to face him and kisses him on the chin. He gives her eskimo kisses and tries to bring his lips to her own, but she clamps her hand over her mouth, and he kisses her knuckles instead. He isn't sure what she tries to say behind her hidden mouth, but thinks it might be, "I have morning breath." He laughs pulls her hand down and kisses her anyway. It's the right move. "Mmmm. Totally worth it," he murmurs when she comes up for air, and she giggles. He peppers her with more sweet kisses until the shower shuts off, and then he reluctantly rolls off her. "I don't think we should push our luck any further."

She pouts adorably, but lets him get out of bed. They really are lucky that the only person who has caught them so far is Paul, who thankfully saw nothing. Jacob tugs on his shorts. She asks him, "What are you doing today?"

Jacob sighs and frowns. "Damage control. I need to go talk to Rachel again. She was pretty, um, stunned last night. When I left, she wasn't ready to talk to Paul yet. She was barely ready to talk to me. He was pretty freaked out about it. I should check in."

"Do you want some help?" she offers. "Not with Paul, obviously. I don't know Rachel that well, but maybe she could use someone else to talk to."

He brightens considerably. "Wow, yeah. I think she doesn't want to offend me, you know? Which means she probably doesn't feel like she can ask me everything she really wants to know. And she doesn't know Emily at all. Emily tried to help last night, she really did, but Rach just wasn't ready to hear it yet. Leah isn't exactly the best girl to discuss imprinting with. And Kim is just so shy, and was crushing on Jared long before he imprinted, so the situation was pretty different. Do you want to come over?"

She smiles at him and reaches out for his hand. "Of course I do."

He grins. "In that case, get dressed. I'll pick you up."

She cocks her head at him. "When?"

He shrugs. "How much time do you need? It's not like I have travel time or something."

"Give me twenty minutes."

So Jacob leaps out the window to check on the pack while Bella gets ready. There is a light rain, not heavy enough for him to feel through his thick pelt. Paul isn't phased in, but Seth and Jared are, and they report that Paul ran up and down that coast all night long, but was driving them all crazy, and finally phased out about an hour before. Rachel was still at home as far as they knew. Otherwise the night had been uneventful.

A few minutes later, he rings the doorbell. He feels silly doing so, but it helps keep up the charade for Charlie. Bella is already ready to go, but invites him in to split the breakfast her father brought home. She grabs a grocery bag on her way out, stuffing it with a few important ingredients. Then they take her truck to LaPush. On the way, he also explains that although he had spent much of the evening with Rachel, he didn't think she absorbed much of what they told her beyond the fact that they could morph into wolves to protect the tribe from vampires. They had tried explaining imprinting to her, but it was just too much.

They find Paul sitting on the bottom step of his porch getting soaked in the rain. He looks exhausted, and he glares at both of them.

"She know you're here?" Jacob asks without preamble.

"I think so," he mutters.

Jacob glances through the window. The house is still. "My dad?"

Paul hands Jacob a mug full of rainwater. "Gave me this cup of coffee, then headed to Sue's."

"And you're waiting for..."

Paul rubs at his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Her."

"To do..."

Paul growls. "Anything."

"Is it working so far?" Paul just glares at him. "She's even more stubborn than I am, you know."

Paul sighs. "So?"

"So you're going to be out here a while. If only to teach you a lesson."

Paul looks indignant. "What lesson? What the fuck! I'm dying out here!"

Jacob rolls his eyes. "That she doesn't appreciate being stalked, you moron. You should know that. That Lauren chick stalked you after you slept with her. You didn't enjoy that much, if I recall, and you didn't exactly think it was worth it. Rachel barely knows you. And you actually had a history with Lauren. "

Paul's brow is furrowed. "Who?"

It's like talking to a small child. "Lauren."

"Who the fuck is Lauren?" Paul whines.

Jacob pinches his nose. "From yesterday. The girl you were planning on screwing again until you set eyes on my sister. The girl that Rachel thought was your girlfriend until I explained that no, you're both just sluts."

"Oh, God." Paul buries his face in his hands. Rachel Black isn't ever going to let him touch her.

Jacob steps up to the front door and puts his hands on the knob. "Give her some space."

Paul's eyes blaze and he stands up to face Jacob. He growls, "I've been giving her space all night! How long am I supposed to wait out here?"

Jacob steps right up to him. "You're not! Go home. I will talk to her again, and I will not stand in her way if she wants to see you. But right now, you're probably just scaring the shit out of her. Now, I'm not exactly a fan of imprinting, and I don't claim to know what it's for, but I'm pretty sure that scaring your imprint isn't part of the plan. Grow up! She has plans. She has a life. If you want what's best for her, you'll get yourself under control." Jacob starts poking at his chest. "Maybe, just maybe, you can turn yourself into someone who is worthy of her. Because you sure as fuck aren't worthy of her now. Go home before I Alpha order you to go!"

Paul's jaw clenches, and he squeezes his hands into tight fists at his side. It is taking everything he has not to phase right now and jump at Jacob. But he has learned his lesson. He can't win against Jacob. And more important than that, Jacob is right. He isn't worthy of Rachel Black. Not as he is now. The tension visibly flows out of his body and his shoulders slump. He looks like he has been up for days. "Just... Tell her... Tell her..."

Jacob puts his hand on Paul's shoulder and steers him off the porch. "I'll tell her you want to talk to her whenever she's ready."

Paul nods and sighs and slowly makes his way home.

When he is out of sight, Jacob finally opens the front door. He finds his sister sitting quietly at the kitchen table holding a mug of coffee tightly. She doesn't appear to have had any. She looks nervous when she spots him coming through the door, but visibly relaxes as soon as she spots Bella. He is apparently less intimidating with Bella holding tightly to his hand.

"You eat yet, Rach?"

She shakes her head, so Jacob pulls out the griddle and ingredients for pancakes. He sets sausages to heat while he mixes the batter. Rachel sighs and says, "I don't know if I have an appetite for anything."

Bella smiles and replies, "Even for chocolate?"

This gets a small smile out of Rachel. "I always have an appetite for chocolate."

So Bella sets her double boiler on the stove and gets to work. By the time Jacob has produced a heaping plate of pancakes and sausages, Bella has mugs of her spicy chocolate for everyone. Sipping at it, Rachel hums in pleasure and finally looks a little relaxed. "Thanks for getting rid of him," she tells Jacob.

His face softens. "Of course, Rach. But it won't work for long. He'll be back."

She frowns. "How soon, do you think?"

Jacob shrugs. "Before the day is out, I'd bet. It hurts him to be away from you, especially since you haven't accepted him at all. But you don't have to accept him, Rach. The choice is up to you."

She picks at her food. "Why me? Why him?"

Jacob sighs and looks at Bella. "Truth is, we don't really know. The legends would imply that you're his soulmate."

She scoffs at that. "Paul Lahote is my soulmate? The guy halfway into that chick's pants last night is my one and only? Right."

Jacob grins at that. "My thoughts exactly. Look, fact is we don't really know why it happens, but there is a reason. Dad thinks it's about making the wolf stronger. That the imprint has some effect on the wolf that makes him a better wolf. Sam thinks it's not so much about soulmates as it is about genes. The match most likely to produce offspring who can shift. Either one of those would make sense thinking about you and Paul."

"So how come Sam isn't still with Leah? Seems like she's a pretty good candidate for passing along the gene."

"She thinks it's a sign she's infertile."

Bella pipes up. "I'm not convinced she actually is. I suspect her fertility will return once she stops phasing."

"Fact is, we don't know. All we have are guesses."

"So tell me what you do know."

So Jacob starts with the stories they know best. He begins with Sam, Emily, and Leah. He explains that Emily held Sam at arms length for a long time before finally giving in and being with him.

"So did she have a choice, or didn't she?"

"Emily? Yeah. She did. She tried to get him to go back to Leah at first. He didn't, and at the time, he couldn't tell her why."

"Damn."

"What was it like for him, waiting for her?"

Jacob shrugs. "Bad." There isn't more to say. Then he goes on to Jared and Kim, admittedly an easier story to tell. Rachel still has questions.

"Didn't she think it was weird? That he didn't even know she existed, and then all of a sudden, bam. He loves her?"

"If she did, she never said so. She says she was just happy. But I don't think I'd know it if she felt otherwise."

Finally he moves on to Quil and Claire. He is as diplomatic as possible, but it always sounds weird.

"Wait, so right now he's just the best big brother ever."

"Yes."

"But in a few years..." she trails off.

"We'll see. It's up to her."

"Gross! What about when she's, like, twelve? Old enough to have a crush on him but young enough for it to be sick and totally wrong?"

Jacob had no answer. "That's why I don't buy the line that it's all about soulmates and perfect matches. Imprinting is for something, Rach, but I don't think we know what. As for Quil, we have to wait and see."

"So what happens if Claire doesn't start to like him? That way, anyway?"

"Nothing he can do about it. Just stay her big brother."

"Does he get to see other women? Will he fall for someone else?"

"Nobody knows, Rach. The old legends only tell us about childhood imprints turning into marriages later in life. But a hundred years ago, it wasn't that weird for a grown man to marry an adolescent girl. And it hasn't happened recently enough for us to have anything else to go off of. As for his feelings, the legends imply that a rejected wolf will never find a replacement in his heart for that woman. Just that he has to accept her decision. But it's not clear that imprints ever actually do reject their wolves. They say that they're just so compatible, and the wolves are so devoted, that why would she reject him?"

Rachel tries to summarize. "So Paul is stuck with me even if I don't want him, but deep down I really want him, so who cares?"

"That's the theory. For a while, Emily told Sam to go back to Leah. He says he just couldn't do it. But... I'm not really sure how hard he tried. They say it can't be done, and I don't think he questioned it. He had overwhelming feelings for her, and was pretty much under the impression that he had no choice but to be with Emily, and honestly didn't want to string Leah along."

"And now they live happily ever after?" Jacob just shrugs again. Rachel narrows her eyes. "You don't look totally convinced, Jake."

Jacob stares at the table in front of him, and says, "I'm trying to be fair here. I'm trying not to bias you too much one way or another. I want you to be able to make up your own mind."

"Bias me. Go ahead."

He squeezes his eyes shut and furrows his brow. He is torn between what he wants for his sister, his obligations to his pack and to Paul, and to his own dark feelings about imprinting. He takes a deep breath and looks straight at her. "What were you planning on doing in a month?"

"My girlfriends wanted to go on a little road trip. Last hurrah of the summer. Then I'm moving into my new apartment. The semester starts right after labor day. It'll give me a chance to settle in."

Jacob nods at this. "Are you seeing anyone right now?"

Rachel looks a little pained at this. "Sort of. But it's not really serious. Although he's moving to Seattle too."

"Well, if you follow protocol here, you're not going on vacation. You're not going to Seattle. You're forfeiting that apartment. You're not getting your Master's right now, and maybe you never will. You're dumping that guy. You'll stay here, eventually get married to Paul, and have his kids."

Rachel couldn't look more stunned if Jacob had hit her upside the head with a brick. "I am?"

Jacob leans over the table and takes her hands in his. "That's what I'm trying to say, Rach. You don't have to. Don't get me wrong. If you do all those things, it will be good for the pack. For my pack. It will be good for Paul. You'll make him happy. It will be good for dad. He would love to have you here. I would love to have you here. But will it be good for you? Do what you have to do for you. We'll be okay."

Rachel leans back and pulls her hands away, and looks at Bella. She has finally worked up the nerve to ask, "What about you two? You didn't tell me about Bella."

Jacob reaches over to envelop Bella's hand. "I fell in love with Bella the old fashioned way. Like, forever ago. It took her a while to catch up."

Bella smiles. "Your brother is very persistent."

"But you're not imprinted."

"Nope."

"Do you think you will?"

He shakes his head ruefully. "I tried to imprint on Bella, trust me. But it either happens the first time a wolf sees his imprint after he phases, or it doesn't. And it didn't. I just love her. That's all." Jacob pulls Bella's hand to his lips and kisses it gently. Bella squeezes his hand in return.

Rachel looks at their joined hands, and recalls their blissful smiles at each other from the day before. She remembers her little brother trailing after the Swan girl when they were children. She can see the joyful look on his little face each time he got a letter from her, and the way he couldn't stop bouncing around the house on the first day of her visit to Forks, even if she wasn't coming to LaPush right away. But she can't help but wonder. She turns to address Bella directly. "This is probably way too personal, but I have to ask. Aren't you guys worried about Jake imprinting on somebody else?"

Jacob frowns, but Bella's words reassure him. She is finally getting it. "I was. I'm not really worried anymore. I know how much Jake loves me, and how much I love him. He says he won't let anything come between us. And I trust him more than I trust anybody." Jacob can't resist the pull anymore. He tugs Bella off her seat and pulls her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her.

"We have something bigger going on. Bells and me. A few weeks ago we started sharing dreams." Rachel's eyes widen. She didn't think she could get more surprised than she already is, but Jacob keeps pushing it farther. "We were dreaming about each other, and then we realized the dreams were the same. No one seems to know anything about this. There are no legends about it. But in one of the dreams, my wolf chose Bella. My wolf doesn't want anyone else, so he isn't going to imprint on someone else." He isn't going to tell her about the marking just yet. It is too personal, and Rachel is pretty overwhelmed as it is.

Rachel stands up to clear the dishes. "Thanks, guys. And Bella, I know that wasn't easy to talk about. I appreciate it. And for what it's worth, your friends seem to think that you guys have the real deal. I talked to Emily a little after you left last night, Jake. Sam gave us some space. A lot of what she told me I don't even remember, or it didn't make sense to me at the time. Apparently Sam's worried that Jake will imprint on someone else and hurt you, for reasons I now totally understand. But Emily thinks that Jake didn't imprint on you because he just didn't need to. Because he already loves you every bit as much as Sam loves her." She turns to face them directly, and looks at her brother curled up around his childhood friend. "She said that he probably loves you more, because he chose to, and he wasn't forced into it the way Sam was. And from where I stand, Bella, what Jacob feels for you looks a whole lot more real to me than whatever it is Paul claims to feel for me."

And for the first time, Bella feels lucky that Jake never imprinted on her.

Rachel takes a deep breath. "I've made a decision."

Jacob's and Bella's heads both snap up. Already? "What are you going to do?" Bella asks.

Rachel nods definitively. "Lunch. He can buy me lunch tomorrow. And then we'll see. I'm going to take your advice, baby brother. I'm going to make up my own mind. Do you have his phone number?"

Jacob takes her phone and types in the number, then returns it to her. She steps into the living room to make the call. Bella turns in Jacob's arms and wraps her arms around his neck, and he kisses her lightly on the cheeks, nose, and then her lips. They are nuzzling at each other affectionately when the kitchen phone rings. Jacob reaches out his arm without displacing Bella and mumbles, "Hello?" into the phone.

"Good morning, Jacob." It is Carlisle Cullen, sounding pleasant and neutral as usual. Jacob instantly stiffens. "The family has had a chance to talk. Almost everyone participated in the conversation." Jacob and Bella know what this means. Edward is still refusing to speak to anyone.

"And what have you decided?"

"Your request is fair. We agree that while we reside on the Olympic Peninsula, we will not turn any humans regardless of their willingness to be turned." Both sides realize that it is a small price to pay, considering that the Cullens can do whatever they like when they are elsewhere, and the pack has no power to regulate their behavior when they are away. But through the phone, Jacob hears an agonized cry and breaking glass. It is the first thing anyone has heard out of Edward Cullen in days. Then a female voice shrieks, "Asshole! The door is right here!"

"Where is he? What happened?" Jacob yells.

Carlisle actually sounds flustered. "I'm sorry, Jacob. He destroyed the front window. He's too fast for us. We won't be able to catch him unless he stops."

Jacob drops the phone without putting it back in the cradle and stands up, placing Bella on her own two feet. He grabs her hand and pulls her into the living room with Rachel, who is still on the phone with Paul.

"Both of you, stay here! Don't leave the house unless a wolf comes to get you." He grabs Rachel's phone with one hand, and squeezes Bella's hand with the other. "Paul, phase now and come to the house. You have to protect the girls." He tosses the phone back to Rachel and yells "I love you!" to Bella as he sprints out the door, phasing as he leaps off the porch. His clothes flutter to the ground in shreds. He races for the treaty line and lets out a loud howl of warning, signaling the other wolves to phase. Embry and Leah are already on patrol. As soon as they realize what is happening, they turn toward the border as well. Jared, Quil, Sam, and Collin phase in quickly, and he sends Jared and Collin to back up Paul at his house, and brings Quil and Sam with him.

Jacob arrives first, and Edward shows up seconds later, nearly at the same time Leah sprints in behind them. Edward paces, looking completely crazed, just on the other side of the border, his usually deliberately styled hair plastered against his skin from the rain. They face off, staring one another down. Edward hasn't crossed the line, and therefore hasn't broken the treaty. Jacob orders the wolves into formation to behind him as they arrive. He addresses the pack knowing Edward can hear him.

_No one is to start a fight. The Cullens are about to leave, and Bella and the other humans are safe. Much as I would love to rip Edward apart, he hasn't broken the treaty. Now isn't the time to start a war. Let's keep it that way, shall we, Cullen?_

Edward halts in his movements, and glares at Jacob. "Mongrel, what have you done?"

Jacob goes with the truth._ I fell in love with her. That's all. A long time ago._

Edward bares his teeth and spits out his next words. "Not that, you filthy mutt. What have you done to her? You've poisoned her, corrupted her!"

Jacob manages to keep his cool, despite a nearly overwhelming urge to leap across the boundary line and rip Edward's head off. But he has his pack to think of, and his tribe. And they do not need an angry coven of vampires seeking revenge against them. Unfortunately, not all his pack members have such a level head. Paul is nowhere near, but that doesn't keep Edward from hearing Paul's thoughts in the pack mind. Jacob immediately orders Paul to keep his thoughts neutral, but issues the order a second too late. Edward plucks a memory straight from Paul's mind.

It couldn't be worse if Paul tried to sabotage them deliberately. Paul is in an aggressive panic at the perceived threat to his brand new imprint, and has even less control over himself than usual. As soon as he hears Edward's accusations through the minds of his brothers and sister, he immediately flashes back to his own memory of hearing Jacob and Bella in Jacob's garage. Everyone phased in can see the little garage, and can hear the sounds from within. The sound of Jacob's Alpha voice ordering Bella to ride him, and Bella's ecstatic cries as she complies.

Edward immediately sees red. Not only is it absolutely devastating, but to him it is proof of Jacob's black art. The Alpha voice is part of the Quileute shifter magic, and Jacob used it on his Bella. Used it to somehow force her to do despicable things. To defile her forever. That, combined with Edward's knowledge that Jacob marked Bella from miles away is his proof. He springs at Jacob.

_Everyone back! He's mine! _With that, Jacob turns himself over to his wolf. The Alpha is a powerful creature. Edward is still able to read his mind, but the wolf has much less conscious thought, operates on pure instinct, and does not think in words. Edward's advantage is slightly lessened. And Jacob has now been through his share of fights. They are evenly matched.

Jacob springs up just as Edward barrels into his chest. He allows Edward to knock him backward, but keeps his powerful paws extended against Edward's chest as they tumble backward, so that Edward is unable to get a grip on him. He rolls onto his back and flings Edward behind him, sending him crashing into a tree, which snaps in half at the impact. The pack backs up to give the combatants a wide berth, but have formed a circle around them. As Jacob twists to right himself, he can see through his pack's mind that Edward is already pushing his feet off the broken stump to fling himself back at Jacob. The warning allows him to roll out of the way just in time to avoid being hit. He lands on his feet with a snarl at Edward, who has stopped his airborne forward progress against a flexible sapling, now bent from the impact. Edward looks at the sapling, grabs it by the base, and uproots it entirely so he can swing it at Jacob like a giant baseball bat. Jacob jumps high in the air as the sapling swings by it, leaping over it as it passes under his paws. He can hear his pack wondering why Edward has bothered with the little tree. Edward doesn't think that will hurt him, does he? But the top of the tree snaps off when rather than hitting Jacob, Edward strikes the leafy crown against a sturdy oak, and the wolves realize Edward has just created a weapon. A huge, long, and potentially deadly spear. Jacob hears his pack brothers thinking that if Edward can strike him through the heart, his healing powers will not be able to save him. Edward grins at him as he overhears the pack mind, and hefts his makeshift javelin in his hand.

The pack can see him debating whether to rush Jacob with it, or whether to throw it. He chooses the former. But he is far enough back that Jacob can see him coming. Jacob holds still until the tip of the sharp wood is right in front of him, then sidesteps swiftly and turns his head to catch the middle of the sapling lengthwise in his powerful jaws. Edward does not let go of his own end, and for a few seconds, they struggle for dominance of the weapon. Jacob forgoes pulling at it and just splinters the wood with a crush of his powerful jaw. He spits out fragments as Edward simply clubs him with the now shortened, blunt instrument. Jacob leans into the blows. When Edward raises his right arm back to raise the wood, Jacob manages to get in close enough to clamp his jaw down on Edward's left hand. As he bites down, he feels the stump remnant slam against the back of his neck. If it were still pointed and slender, Edward could have struck a fatal blow through his spine, but the stump is no longer the right size or shape. But the force of Edward's blow is enough to put a hairline fracture in the base of the skull. In exchange, Jacob rips off Edward's left hand.

Edward screams in pain as Jacob tosses Edward's filthy tasting hand off to the side. Embry grabs the hand in his jaw for safekeeping.

They all know that Edward won't be slowed much by the loss of his hand. What he really needs to do to kill Jacob is wrap his arms around him and squeeze, and he can do that with or without the benefit of his left hand. Likewise, the fracture in Jacob's skull is painful, but it is of no other consequence. He growls low his throat as Edward keeps backing up, still facing him, until he bumps into the sturdy oak. Edward glances at the branches above him, and immediately leaps to the stand on the lowest branches. He uses his good hand to pull himself higher yet. Jacob hears his pack wondering if Edward is trying to escape that way. But he knows better.

They wait and watch Edward. He is motionless for several long seconds, then springs into the next tree, landing gracefully in its middle branches. He stops momentarily and zings into an adjacent tree. Several pack members are confused, but Jacob knows what Edward is doing. He is trying to find a good angle from which to fling himself on Jacob from above, since he if lands on Jacob's back, the wolf's powerful jaws will not be able to reach him. Edward lets out a frustrated growl when he realizes that Jacob knows what he is doing.

Edward's anger makes him foolish. Rather than switching tactics, he leaps at Jacob from his position high above. It is a mistake, since Jacob easily sees where he will land, and he cannot change course midair. Jacob steps aside with enough time to leap back onto Edward before the vampire can fully right himself. He has his jaws digging into Edward's neck, ready to tear his throat out, when he hears a desperate voice behind him.

"Please, Jacob, don't!" He freezes, teeth deep into marble flesh. He can see everything in the minds of his pack.

Sam has phased back to speak out loud. "He violated the treaty. Jumped over the line to attack Jacob. We are well within our rights to defend our land, our tribe, and ourselves."

"I know." The voice is broken and pleading. It addresses him directly, despite Sam being the one to speak. "But you know how he feels. The despair at losing the most important thing in your very existence. How desperate it can make you."

He growls low in his throat. He cannot have any sympathy for Edward. Then Edward himself speaks, barely getting the words out past his damaged trachea. "Please. Just kill me. End my miserable existence."

The voice is a broken whisper behind him. "No, please, no. He is my eldest son. Please, Jacob."

Jacob considers quickly. He has no qualms about killing Edward in battle, but has no interest in helping him to commit suicide. And he owes a debt to Carlisle Cullen, who treated him when he had no one else to turn to. Were it not for the doctor, his body would be permanently broken. And he has never heard such a tone out of the doctor's voice. Never heard him anything but calm, cool, and collected.

He also sees the rest of the Cullen family lining up at the treaty line. They are all crouched in defensive positions, mirroring his pack. If he kills Edward today, more will die. The Cullens will not leave him unavenged. He has no doubt that his pack would win. But at what cost? He doubts all the wolves would escape such a battle entirely unscathed.

Finally, Jacob can hear Paul screaming at him to end Edward. But in the pack mind, he can also see Bella's nervous face peering through the window of his home, staring into the trees for any sign of what is happening. And he knows that she would not want him to kill Edward.

He asks Quil and Leah to come over. Leah takes Edward's right arm in her jaws, and Quil his left. If he makes any sudden movement, they will immediately rip his arms off. Jacob releases his neck, approaches Carlisle, and phases back. He stands naked and unashamed, rainwater streaming down his skin.

"He violated the treaty already. He is a threat to us and to my mate." Edward emits a pained wail in response to Jacob's reference to Bella. "If I should let him go, what is to stop him from returning?"

"I take full responsibility for him, Jacob."

Jacob crosses his arms over his chest. "That isn't the answer to my question." And realistically, both he and Carlisle know there is nothing Carlisle can do to stop Edward from returning if he has his mind set on it. Jacob turns to face Alice. "What do you see?"

She is silent and stock still as she searches for a vision of Bella or Edward's future. She shakes her head slowly. "I'm sorry, but everything is too uncertain right now. Between your presence in her future and Edward's own indecision, I can't see."

Jacob looks over the Cullens one by one. They each meet his hard gaze. There is one thing Jacob wants other than Edward Cullen out of his and Bella's lives forever, and now he can get it. "Leave permanently, all of you. Do not return to the Olympic Peninsula during this generation or any future generation without explicit permission from the alpha or the chief. There will be no home for you here. In exchange for his life."

Carlisle immediately nods. "We accept. The terms are more than fair."

Alice interrupts. "Wait!" And then she goes quiet for long moments. Jacob starts to wonder if it is some kind of trick when she comes out of her trance. "You'll need us, Jacob. That much I can see. You'll need us when the Volturi come for Bella. They will come to see if she has been turned like we promised them."

His heart falls in his chest. "If we need you, you will have permission to be here. But there will be no permanent residence here."

"Then it is settled." Carlisle agrees.

Jacob signals to Leah and Seth with a tip of his head, and they drag Edward back to the boundary line and pitch him across. Embry tosses Edward's hand to Jacob with a flick of his muzzle. He holds it up. "This is mine now. If I'm feeling generous, you can have it back later. Depends on my mood." Leah and Quil snort, and to everyone's surprise, so does Rosalie, at the exact same time. Edward doesn't look like he cares at all, and hasn't pulled himself off the ground.

"Shall we meet here tomorrow at noon to settle the details?" Carlisle proposes.

"Bring her with you." Jacob signals at Alice. "See what you can figure out before then. As many details as possible about the Volturi."

Emmett and Jasper move forward to pick Edward off the ground and drag him home, and the Cullens file away. Jacob phases back to wolf form. The pack doesn't move from the border until the Cullens are gone, and then they turn for home. Jacob issues instructions as they trot back.

_I'm going to see if I can get Bella to stay on the rez for a while, make it easier to watch out for her. Paul, can you phase out to tell Bella and Rachel everything is fine, and I'll be home soon? Leah, Embry, stay on patrol. Collin, I'm adding you to patrol until midnight. Watch out for Edward. Who knows what he's actually planning on doing. I'm going to revise the patrol schedule. Add an extra wolf to each one until things settle down. Hopefully once they're gone we can back off a bit. We just need to find that newborn I was tracking. Anybody gotten any hints of any suspicious activity?_

There is a chorus of "no's", but Quil has something to say and can't stay quiet any longer. _You just couldn't contain yourself, could you, Jake?_

_What the hell are you talking about, Quil?_

_You couldn't resist! You couldn't find a way to work in the Jake Black Special for Edward, so you just had to negotiate the new treaty buck-ass naked!_

The rest of the wolves howl in laughter. _I had no clothes! I shredded them when I phased in! What was I supposed to do?_

_You could have just taken my pants, man. You did it deliberately, admit it!_

_I did not, idiot! _He chases Quil through the trees.

_You just wanted to see the effect you could have on their ladies. Did you see? I was looking at them. The mom would have blushed if she could have. And the hot blonde one was, like, salivating. And the guys-well, you could tell by the looks on their faces that none of them measure up._

Embry adds dryly,_ Well, having no blood flow can't do much for a guy's size._

Quil is getting too interested in this line of thought. _Hey, yeah! Are they even able to get it up? Does Bella know? I'm gonna ask her. She's not busy right now, I can see her through the window of your house. She's just waiting. I'm gonna ask her._

_No, you're not! _Jacob catches up with Quil, and nips him in the legs with his teeth.

_Ow, quit it! It's not like she's going to say the bloodsucker is better than you are in bed. Now we all know how satisfied she is! Or was she just faking? Ow, stop! I'm just kidding!_

And that is how Bella realizes that everything really is okay. Paul had stopped in only minutes ago to tell them that everything was fine, but he gave no details, saying Jacob would tell them himself momentarily. But he must have been right, because out of the woods tumbles Quil's chocolate brown wolf in the midst of getting tackled by Jacob's larger russet one. Rachel squeaks a frightened sound beside her.

Paul reassures her. "Oh no, Rachel. Don't worry. They're just playing."

"Playing? You're kidding. They look like they're going to kill each other."

"No, no. You recognize Jake, right? The other one is just Quil. I'll bet Quil just said something stupid."

And indeed, Quil and Jacob separate moments later and return into the woods to phase. A human Sam is already on his way to the house. "Jake needs pants," he yells. Bella gets a pair and tosses them out to him. Sam reaches out for them with one hand, the other held behind his back. Seconds later Jacob walks back in the door and sweeps Bella into his arms. Sam and Quil file into the small room.

He addresses both girls while he holds Bella. "Sorry to scare you guys. Everyone's fine." But Rachel spots the dismembered hand that Sam is trying to hide. She sways on her feet, suddenly quite dizzy. Paul rushes to steady her.

"No, everyone is not fine! What the hell is that?"

Jacob actually looks sheepish. "Edward's hand." Bella has turned even paler than usual, and has stiffened in his arms. "He's fine, otherwise, Bells."

Paul leads Rachel to sit on the couch as she lowers her head between her knees. He stands protectively over her, leaning by the arm of the couch, and his hand hovers over her back. He clearly wants to touch her, wants to comfort her, but doesn't know how. Doesn't know what he is and is not allowed to do. "Explain. How can anyone be fine when you rip off their hand?" she says, in a weak voice.

Jacob sets Bella on the couch next to Rachel. "Sam, can you put that thing away? There's an old safe in the garage with nothing important in it. Here's the combination." He quickly goes to the kitchen to write down the information for Sam. "You should memorize it in case you need to get in there."

Paul glares at Jacob. "You should burn the damn thing!"

Jacob calmly explains, "I could, or I could keep it to bargain with later. It's useless to us if it's in ashes, and it's already useless to him."

He kneels in front of his sister and takes Bella's hand in his left, and Rachel's hand in his right. "What do you want to know, Rach?"

"Just tell me what happened when you went running out of here. One minute you were sitting in the kitchen, and the next you're running out the door. Then you're just gone, and there's a wolf there instead. I know you showed me last night, but this was... this was..."

"Scary, I know. I'm so sorry." Jacob proceeds to slowly and calmly explain the backstory of the Cullens and their history with Bella. He had only given her a bare sketch the night before, regarding Ephraim's original treaty with them, and glossed over Bella's relationship with Edward altogether. Rachel keeps looking between Bella and Jacob incredulously. Paul paces the floor with nervous, angry energy, and Sam chimes in from time to time from his position in the armchair. Quil raids the refrigerator in the kitchen. Bella herself clarifies several points. When they have explained enough to put the day's events in context, he tells Rachel and Bella what happened during the phone call.

"Carlisle agreed to the new terms. That if they mean to stay here, they can't turn anyone, willing or not. Edward heard him tell me over the phone. He went nuts and leapt out the window of their house. I heard it through the phone. I knew he must be on his way here, so that's why I took off. I thought he was coming for Bella. He jumped the treaty line and tried to kill me. It didn't work, obviously."

He skips the details of the fight, but Bella is gripping his hand like her own life depends on it. "How? He's the fastest one. He's basically invincible since he can read your mind. Emmett and Jasper can't beat him. You could have died, Jake!"

He presses his lips to the back of her hand. "He isn't invincible. He's fast, but so am I. He's strong, but so is my wolf. He can read minds, but my wolf doesn't think the way a person does. I turned myself over to the animal, and Edward had a harder time reading me. Plus I could see through the eyes of the whole pack. And he was desperate, and it made him foolish. Not a scratch on me, honey."

Quil laughs from the doorway. "No scratches, just a skull fracture!"

Bella and Rachel are appalled, but Jacob just smiles and shrugs at them. "It's okay, Rach. I've got a hard head. And we heal fast. It'll be gone in a few days. Until then I should try not to ram the back of my head into anything. Anyway, the rest of the pack was there to back me up. If I had needed them, they wouldn't have let him get to me. He was outnumbered and alone. All the mind reading in the world wasn't going to get him out of that. Anyway, I got his hand when he broke my skull. After that I was able to pin him. I almost killed him. But the doctor showed up, and asked me to spare him. I do owe him for helping me before. And I knew you wouldn't want me to kill Edward, Bells. Plus, I was sure that if I killed him in front of all the rest of them, even if it was justified, it would have meant war."

Paul growls, "You should have killed him. He shouldn't be allowed to live." He is even angrier than he normally would have been. Edward Cullen was on his way here, with Paul's own imprint in the house. She could have been killed. He shakes on his feet. He can barely contain the urge to phase, but manages not to since Rachel is so close by, thinking of Emily's scars. "We could have taken them! We would have won!"

Jacob stands to his full height and walks right up to Paul, using his superior height to lean over him. If Paul phases, Jacob's own body is between Paul and the girls. "Calm down!" It is just short of an Alpha order. He doesn't want to use such a tone unless absolutely necessary. It goes against his grain to take away his pack members' will in such a fashion. Paul manages to slow his shaking. "Do you think I don't know that? Of course we would have won! But at what cost? Do you honestly think we would all have escaped totally unscathed? You may be happy to risk your own life for a petty pissing contest, but I'm not. I'm not risking your life for that, or anyone else's. Collin and Brady are thirteen. They're kids. I'm not putting their lives on the line so I can prove my dick is bigger than Edward Cullen's."

Quil tries to lighten the mood. "I'll bet it's twice as long. Is that about right, Bella? Hey, I was wondering. How does a vampire get an erection? I meant to ask you." Bella blushes bright red. Sam and Jacob try not to laugh, but fail, thinking of Quil's earlier speculations about the Jake Black Special, and the tension is broken. Jacob and Paul can't stay angry at each other with Quil cracking such stupid jokes in the room.

Jacob sits on the floor in front of the couch. "Anyway, I took the hand as his penalty. I can always give it back later. But I don't trust him. I don't think we've seen the last of him. But in exchange for his life, I struck a different deal." He reaches out for Bella's hands again, and holds them in his larger ones. "I told them to leave and not to come back, Bells. I'm sorry, I know they're your friends. I know they are important to you. But as long as they're here, as long as they try to live nearby, everyone is in danger, even if they don't kill anyone. They attract trouble. I won't leave future generations to deal with them too. To have more children's lives turned upside down when they morph into monsters when they're thirteen years old. We'll still phase, of course, when we're needed. But not like this. And you can still see them, Bells, I don't mean to cut you off from them forever. I just told them they need permission to come, and they can't live here anymore. Okay?"

Bella leans forward to hug Jacob. He looks so afraid of disappointing her. "It's okay, Jake. I know they were leaving soon anyhow. And I know you don't want to put the tribe through this again in another generation or two."

He pulls back to look at her. "There's one more thing, Bells, I'm sorry. Alice says the Volturi are still coming, and we still have to deal with them."

Bella closes her eyes against a sensation of pounding in her brain. She had managed not to think at all about this in the past few days, and it is catching up to her. The Volturi are catching up to her. Jacob holds her close and peppers her hair with kisses.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Bells. I'll keep you safe. I promise."


	28. Chapter 28

Rating: MA for lemons

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Sunday afternoon  
X-x-x-x-X

After Jacob's announcement, everyone leaves in order to give Bella and Jacob some space. Even Rachel recognizes that Bella doesn't need an audience right now, despite not really understanding what is going on, and heads to Sue Clearwater's with the excuse of retrieving Billy. Paul clearly hopes she will leave with him, but she does promise to see him the following day as she had originally planned. Bella and Jacob watch him through the front window, standing stock still and staring after her car as she drives away. He doesn't move for long moments long after she is gone, getting soaked from head to toe.

When they are finally alone, Bella allows herself to break down. Has she finally figured out what she wants, what she needs, finally opened her heart to Jacob, only to have it all ripped away? But as upset as she is, her old panic doesn't entirely consume her. Jacob is able to hold it at bay. He sits on the couch and draws her into his lap, and wraps himself around her. His warmth seeps into her skin, past the layers of muscle and fascia, nerves and arteries, and settles in her bones. His heat soaks her and surrounds her.

What did she ever find alluring about cold, marble skin? She understands now. She was responding to attention, affection, and flattery. The tingle she felt zipping through her skin when Edward touched her was not due to her soul being touched by his. She felt it because she was awed by him and by his interest in her. He wasn't just the most eligible bachelor in school. He was and still is a powerful, beautiful, supernatural being who focused all his considerable attention on a girl who always felt herself plain and unintriguing. And it wasn't a trick. She knows, even Jacob knows, that what Edward feels for her is real. But real is not enough. Flattery is not enough. Affection, attention, and even Edward's love are not enough.

The irony does not escape her. She had said as much to Jacob only weeks before, and broken his tender heart. How foolish she had been.

He has one arm wrapped tightly around her waist, the other gently stroking her hair, and is pressing his soft lips to her forehead and to the crown of her head. He murmurs soft and incomprehensible words of comfort. She feels them vibrating on her skin.

She allows the sound of his voice and his gentle touch to settle her frayed nerves. Her racing heartbeat slows, the tight coil in her gut unwinds, and her tense muscles relax as he envelops her. He feels the change in her body, threads his fingers through her hair, and tilts her head back so he can kiss her sweetly on the lips until she emits little sighs of contentment. He lowers one hand to rub gentle circles in the small of her back, and in calming her, calms his own fears. They stay in their own little bubble of soft words, soft touches, and soft kisses until Billy's black truck and Rachel's little sedan roll into the drive. Jacob sets her on the cushions and goes to help his father into the house as Rachel and Sue Clearwater race in from the rain. Bella goes to the kitchen to put on a fresh pot of coffee.

When she returns with steaming mugs, Jacob is telling his story to a rapt audience. This time, instead of skipping all the details, he is leaving nothing out, save the particular thought of Paul's that set Edward off. Billy's eyes shine with a mixture of pride and fascination. His own son is going to be the subject of his fireside tales, passed down to the next generation. They all sober when he reaches the point during which he tells of his jaws deep in Edward's throat, when he heard Carlisle's voice behind him, and Edward asking to be killed. Bella's heart breaks a little at the thought of Edward so forlorn, but cannot bring herself to regret her decision. Being with Jacob just feels too right.

"You did the right thing, son. You did owe him a debt, and now it is repaid. And you avoided a war that we do not need."

"If only that was the end, dad." And Jacob tells the rest of the story.

Billy and Sue look at each other. They have only the most superficial understanding of who the Volturi are, but one thing is clear. The Volturi intend death for Bella, in one form or another, and present a whole new level of threat to the tribe.

Billy sighs. "Well, at least if everyone doesn't get killed, we don't have to worry about the Cullens coming back. Sue, do you have your phone? Let's convene a meeting. Bella, dear, can you stay? I think you'll need to come with us."

While Billy and Sue call council members, Bella and Jacob decide to cook lunch. Rachel is still full from her pancakes and general anxiety, but Jacob always needs to eat, and he is only hungrier from his fight in the morning. Watching Jacob devour heaping plate after heaping plate at least serves to distract Rachel from her nervousness. By the time they are done and have fed everyone else, it is time to go to the meeting hall.

Bella clings to Jacob's hand the entire time. She feels so guilty for bringing this threat upon the tribe. And she knows that most of the council thinks of her as the girl marrying the leech and asking to be turned, putting them in the untenable position of trying to figure out if their treaty was being broken. She is right. The number of sympathetic or curious looks in her direction are greatly outnumbered by the angry glares. But Jacob shelters her protectively with his body and his words. Just as the first hostile comment comes flying her way, Jacob's voice rings out loud and clear. "There will be no debate on this matter. She is my wolf's chosen mate and she will be treated as such. Bella and I share a bond separate from an imprint, but every bit as strong. Stronger, I believe. She accepted my mark and I have given it to her. It happened while we were apart. We discovered that we share dreams, and I marked her in a dream. The mark on her skin is visible even though our bodies were miles apart when it happened."

Shocked murmurs and gasps fill the room. Billy and Sue had asked around about this subject in a subtle fashion, not letting on exactly what had happened.

Old Quil beckons to Bella. "Let me see." Jacob and Bella look uneasily at each other. The mark on her shoulder is not on a delicate area of her body, but she cannot see it herself. So far, only vampires and werewolves have been able to spot it. They do not want it to appear as if he has lied, but there is also no way that Bella is baring her breast to this group to show them the other mark.

But their fears are unfounded. Old Quil, it turns out, has a very keen eye. He asks for a light and Bella tugs the collar of her shirt aside. He politely does not touch her skin, but does bend over her to see. She holds her breath until he declares, "It is faint, but it is there."

"Does that sound like anything to you?" Billy asks.

"Elements of it. Wolves can choose their mates, even when they do not imprint. That is not so unusual. In fact, they normally did. It is present in several tales. And the original power of the tribe lay in the first spirit warriors, like Kaheleha, who had no wolves to inhabit, but who could leave their bodies to defend the tribe with their powers to talk to animals or create huge gusts of wind. It is possible that Jacob has the skill both of the original spirit warriors, to travel out of his body and send his spirit on a journey, and the ability to inhabit the body of the wolf."

Bella watches Billy out of the corner of his eye. He is puffed up with pride for his only son. There has been no great spirit chief since Taha Aki himself.

Old Quil continues. "And there is the tale of Kaheleha's eldest son, who when he was chief engaged in a battle with the enraged spirit of an eagle during a vision quest. When he awoke, his arms were covered in the scars the eagle's talons had left behind."

Billy nods. "That was all I could think of as well."

Jacob asks, "So we were meeting on the spirit plane?"

Old Quil replies, "Perhaps. Has this happened again?"

"Not since I returned."

"Then perhaps your souls are no longer searching each other out, since you have found one another in the human plane."

Bella hides behind her hair and smiles to herself. There is truth in what Old Quil says. Jacob brings her hand to his lips and leaves a small kiss on her knuckles.

Sue redirects the conversation. "But fascinating though that is, it isn't why we called this meeting."

So Jacob finishes telling his tale again, of their new agreement with the Cullens, of sparing Edward's life but keeping his hand, and of Alice's vision which implied that the tribe would need to let the Cullens return in order to repel the Volturi. A chorus of angry voices rises. A woman that Bella doesn't recognize wants to know what business is it of theirs if a coven of vampires wants to turn a human girl who doesn't belong to the tribe, who was foolish enough to knowingly associate with the Cold Ones in the first place. Jacob tucks Bella close to him and is about to angrily respond, but Billy beats him to it. "Because as the chosen mate of the Alpha, she is a member of this tribe."

And Old Quil adds, "And the spirits have given us a sign. They have allowed her to walk the spirit plane. She is to be protected." There is grumbling at this, but no further disagreement. Old Quil addresses her directly. "So, tell us what you can, Bella."

She proceeds to tell them everything she can think of. About the history she knows, about the three leaders, and about the guard and each special power. Every face is drawn and grave by the time she is done.

Jacob takes over when she finishes her part. "Hopefully, we will know more by tomorrow. The psychic one is trying to find out what they plan to do. So we can prepare."

"Why should we trust them? Why believe a word they say?"

Jacob replies evenly, "We don't have to. But I plan to hear her out and decide for myself. If she is telling the truth, not heeding her advice will be both foolish and deadly."

Soon after, the meeting adjourns. They have many questions, but no more answers. On the way back, Billy agrees that it is safer for Bella to stay in LaPush. When they get home, Jacob hops in the shower to wash the scent of leech off his body, while Billy calls and convinces Charlie himself. It isn't too hard, considering that there is a still unsolved murder plaguing Charlie's entire force, and Charlie already doesn't feel comfortable with Bella home by herself at nighttime while he is at work.

After dinner, Billy insists on no funny business under his roof, and stays up in the living room later than usual. Mate or no mate, Jacob is still his sixteen year old son, and Bella is still the daughter of his best friend, and there is no way he is comfortable with any amorous behavior under his own roof. He wants grandbabies, but please, not now. Bella spends a large chunk of the evening bright red. Rachel goes to bed early, the events of the past two days having taken their toll. Bella goes to shower and change, and eventually Billy goes to sleep as well. By the time she emerges from the bathroom, she has worked herself into a pit of guilt. Over her own behavior, over how long it took her to figure out what was best for her, over how much she hurt Jacob in the process, and now, over the risk and ruin she has brought down upon all their heads.

He senses her distress at the same time his mouth goes dry at the sight of her, damp hair curled around her shoulders, wearing nothing but one of his own t-shirts, long smooth legs bared to him. He pushes his desire down, and pulls her onto his lap as he leans back against the couch cushions. He holds her close and traces patterns on her back, and listens to the drum of rain on the rooftop. The wind starts to pick up outside. A storm is blowing in. He hums a tuneless sound of comfort in her ear, sensing her need for closeness and his touch. She hasn't said anything. But Jake still knows. He always knows what she needs. Not for the first time, she chastises herself for ever doubting him.

"I'm so sorry, Jake," she whispers.

He startles. "For what, honey?"

She wants to cry. "For hurting you. For making you feel like you weren't enough. It's just the opposite, Jake. You're too good for me. Too good to me. And I'm sorry I went after him. If I had just stayed like you asked me to, the Volturi would never have known about any of us. They wouldn't be coming. I've put everyone at risk."

Jacob responds firmly, "No, Bella. It isn't your fault. It's theirs. He put you in an awful position. All of them did, together. Telling a human girl that she had to go in person, rush into the den of the most powerful vampire coven in the world because of the suicidal histrionics of a hundred year old drama queen is unforgivable. Guilting you into thinking you had to go or it would be your fault he died. Not letting you just pick up the goddamn phone to just call him. He's a mindreader, for god's sake. Alice should have been able to go by herself and show him in her memory that you were fine. No, it was never your fault. I blame them. And I'm sorry I ever made you feel guilty about it, honey. I'm the one who should be sorry. For not protecting you from them in the first place."

She reaches up to stroke his cheek with the back of her hand. "How could you have protected me? I was in too deep by the time you knew anything about them."

"It was what I was born to do, Bella. Protect humans against their kind. There are two reasons I exist, Bella. To protect my tribe, and to love you." He threads the fingers of his right hand through her hair and draws her to him, and kisses her deeply. He traces his tongue along her lips, and then his lips are warm, soft, and demanding on hers.

He soothes her and arouses her all at once. How is this possible? How can comfort and lust be so intertwined with one another? She thought they were separate things, mutually exclusive. She thought she would have to sacrifice so much in order to get what she wanted. But she does not. Jacob showed her that things she thought could not coexist are, in fact, harmonious. Like Jacob himself. A boy and a man. A man and a wolf. A wolf and a lover. A lover and a leader.

She knows that Jacob is all these things. But who is she? Who is Bella Swan? Somewhere along the way, she had forgotten. Lost her own identity, subsumed by circumstance and by the company she chose to keep. Because in Edward's world, she really did have to choose. Either Carlisle's child or Charlie's daughter. Alice's sister or Jacob's friend. Edward's wife and no one's mother.

But Jacob has reminded her. Jacob remembers who she was before and sees who she still is under the layers of insecurity and fear. And when Jacob kisses her, she sees her own future, just as she did on the mountaintop before he left for the newborn battle. She sees the life she is meant to lead. The person she is supposed to be. And she realizes she likes that version of Bella much better. Jacob's Bella may not have supernatural strength, but she has internal conviction. She isn't immortal, but she has the ability to grow and evolve. She may not have a family who can never die or leave her, but she has a flawed, genuine family who have loved her for her whole life, and who will continue to love her unconditionally until the day each one of them dies. She doesn't have ethereal, alluring beauty meant to lure victims to their death, but she has loveliness and looks she has grown into, which will change and progress and shift with time, that when paired with a loving spirit have enchanted Jacob for as long as he can remember, which he will treasure for as long as he exists. And Jacob himself. Instead of a destructive, consuming, and static obsession, she has a love delicately grown and nurtured over years of friendship, an affection that has blossomed into passion great and pure, that will continue to deepen and strengthen with every passing year.

So she kisses him back fiercely. And because Jacob knows her, can read her as if he was the telepath and not Edward, he can sense the newfound conviction in her touch. His eyes well with tears that do not fall, and in the midst of his own fear at the dangers set against his love, he experiences a new level of happiness. His Bells is really his Bells. She has already accepted him. She has already accepted his wolf. She has already accepted his mark on her supple skin. But now, she has also accepted herself, just as he had, a long, long time ago. He is overjoyed.

He can hear Billy's soft snores and his sister's even breathing under the rising sounds of the storm brewing outside. So he picks her up and carries her back to his bedroom. She doesn't take her mouth from his until he sets her down on his bed and moves away to close and lock the door.

With the snick of the latch, the mood in the room changes instantly. He turns back toward her with a glint in his eye. She is sitting on his bed wearing one of his shirts. She couldn't be sexier if she was wearing racy lingerie. He wants to take her up against the door to his room with that shirt bunched around her middle. But he wants to see her new mark more. He hasn't looked at it since he made it last night.

So he stalks toward the bed and hovers over her, looking down into her wide eyes. He traces her plump bottom lip with his thumb. Her breathing becomes shallow and rapid just from the intensity of his gaze, and one simple touch. He moves his hand to brush a lock of hair off her cheek, and then continues the light movement to gently stroke down the side of her neck. Her skin is soft and warm and precious to him. He runs the tip of his finger along the collar of the shirt. His eyes flick between her eyes, her lips, and the spot on her chest where he knows his mark is located, still covered by his shirt. He gently takes his own lower lip between his teeth, and she knows how much he wants her, belied though it is by his tender, gentle touch.

"I'd like to see it," he whispers softly.

She nods. "It's yours, you don't have to ask permission." He closes his eyes and swallows hard. When she says such things to him, he gets the urge to skip all the preliminaries and just bury his cock deep inside her warm pussy. But she continues. "But thank you for asking anyway," she smiles. He chuckles and looks back down at her.

"I'd like to look, then, soon." She nods, agreeing.

"Then I'd like to touch." She smiles a little wider and nods again.

"After that, I want to use my tongue." She wants to reply, "yes, please," but instead just tips her head again, and grins at him.

He grins right back at her. He looks playful and feral all at once. "After that, I'll probably improvise."

"You're quite deft at improvisation, after all," she smirks.

"I've been getting some practice lately."

"Practice makes perfect, I hear."

He kneels between her legs and places his hands on her knees. He leans in to kiss her again, and slowly runs his hand up her thighs, bringing the hem of the shirt up with it. He squeezes her hips, then lightly runs his fingers up her flanks, brushes the sides of her breasts, and finally draws the shirt over her head. "This look, wearing my clothes, is totally hot, Bells, but it's in my way."

He stares down at her chest, at his mark. He delicately traces the new mark on her breast with the tip of his index finger, and she gasps. She looks down. It has somehow already healed over, but unlike her other mark, this one is visible to her own eye as a faint white line, just a shade paler than the rest of her skin. Jacob growls very quietly in his throat, and lowers his lips to the mark. The kiss sends electricity zinging between the mark and her core. Jacob sniffs the air and moans quietly, "You're wet, naughty girl." He reaches out with his tongue, and he might as well be going down on her, the sensation is so erotic. He spreads her thighs apart and lowers his hand to her core and slips two fingers inside her and strokes. She arches her back, pressing her breast more firmly into his mouth, and groans loudly.

He separates his lips long enough to whisper, "Shhhhh," and resumes his ministrations of her. His hand raises her to new heights. He goes right for the spot on her inner wall that makes her crazy, curling his fingers against it with each pump. He laps and suckles at the mark in an alternating rhythm with the movement of his hand. He would love to tease her, to draw this out and make her beg, but she is a bit desperate tonight and he knows it. So he doesn't hold back, and she whimpers. What Jacob is doing just feels too damn good. She can't stay silent. He relishes the sounds she makes, loves them really, but gets worried that the sounds of the storm will not be enough to mask them.

They both know that what they're doing is foolish. The last time they couldn't wait until they were alone, at least Billy and Charlie were distracting each other, and the television was on. Bella really needs to learn how to be quiet. Jacob pulls his mouth from her breast and shushes her again. She manages to stay silent while he kisses the mark and holds his hand still inside her, but when he licks the mark and strokes his fingers, she whimpers again. He stops immediately. He whispers, barely audible, "Naughty girl, you have to be quiet, or else I'll have to stop. You don't want me to stop, do you?"

She shakes her head and he resumes. She pants as he switches from a stroking motion to twisting his fingers within her body. She manages not to moan when he starts to thrust his hand hard inside her while lightly kissing her mark, but then he rakes his teeth over the spot, and she lets out a desperate whimper. He stops immediately, removing his mouth and stilling his hand. He waits until she calms down, then starts pumping again. She again limits herself to quiet gasps, even when he starts stroking his fingers against the most sensitive spot inside her, but thrashes her head from side to side on the pillow. But when he grinds the heel of his hand against her clitoris she whimpers aloud again, and he stops. "Hush, naughty girl. You're going to get us caught. I ought to gag that pretty mouth of yours. Maybe with my cock."

He isn't being serious, he is just talking dirty since it turns her on so much. But the brief picture he paints causes little contractions inside her cunt, and she breaks out in a thin sheen of sweat. God. Bella is turning out to be such a sexy little vixen. He scoots up the bed just enough to be able to whisper directly into her ear. "Would you like that? For me to tie you up and restrain you? Blindfold you? Pin you down and do whatever I want to your body?" Even though he isn't moving at all within her, isn't touching her mark at all, she still climbs even higher toward climax, squirming on his motionless hand and arching her breasts toward him. She wants him so badly. She continues to be surprised by her own reactions to him, but being dominated by Jacob is such a rush. She wouldn't want it with anyone else; she knows that. But he is so in tune with her body and her deepest desires, and draws sensations from her that she had never even imagined. Her response makes him almost as desperate as she is.

Right now, though, there is no time and no way to indulge in the little fantasy. Right now she just wants to be fucked, and tells him so. It draws a small groan from him this time, and she ends the noise by drawing his lips to hers and kissing him hard. He breaks away to find a condom.

Jacob stalks back toward the bed, but he doesn't put it on yet. He drops his shorts. When he leans over her and puts his knee down to climb over her, the old springs in the mattress squeak. That won't do. So he grabs the pillows, tosses them on the floor, and tells her, "On your hands and knees."

She hastens to assume the position. She needs this. She wonders fleetingly how it can be that they were both inexperienced virgins a week ago, and now, not only are they unable to keep their hands off each other, but he has taken her to places she didn't even know existed. She is ready to follow him anywhere. So she kneels and drops her arms down to support herself. She can feel him behind her, but can't see what he is doing. He doesn't speak. He just uses his big hands to spread her thighs apart a little and push her shoulders down so that her elbows are resting on the pillow. She feels very exposed, as she is, displayed for his hungry eyes.

Jacob looks down at his beloved's body. She is primed and presented for his pleasure. He realizes that although they don't have the time or the means to fulfill her little bondage fantasy, he can still dominate her in a different way and push her boundaries a little farther. His wolf is pleased.

She feels his hot touch on her ass, then a single large finger dips into her pussy. She squirms backward to increase the pressure, but his hand is then suddenly gone. She turns to look at him, but he stops her with a soft but commanding, "No. Don't move," and she freezes. Long moments pass in which he makes no movement, and she keeps her eyes forward. She won't turn until he allows it. She can feel him starting at her submissive form and experiences a peak of arousal from that alone. Eventually, she feels the barest touch of his fingers running along her sensitive left flank. Somehow, the lack of other contact heightens the sensation dramatically.

Finally, his left hand traces a path down her lower back and buttock, and she again feels a single finger tracing lightly along her sensitive outer lips. Up and down. One side, them the other, and back again. She tingles with the barely-there touch. But he avoids her clitoris, and refuses to actually enter her body. The tortuous sensation has her literally dripping with want.

After long minutes of the teasing, he finally grips her left buttock tightly in his hand. She can feel him opening her to him with his thumb on her labia. She can feel his eyes burning on her. He is staring at her needy core. She badly wants him inside her. But he moves no further.

Gradually, his breathing grows heavier behind her. Eventually, she starts to hear the sound of flesh sliding on wet flesh, and she can feel enough subtle movement from his left hand still holding her tight to know that he isn't just looking at her anymore.

Jacob is masturbating behind her while staring at her willing flesh. And unlike before, he isn't going to let her touch herself. He will not allow her to turn around to see, and there is no mirror here to reveal anything to her. She knows that if she looks, he will stop. She wants desperately for him to continue, and he knows it. He knows exactly what he is doing to her. His own hand isn't nearly as good as her touch, but he knows he is driving her out of her mind with desire. She is a little disappointed that he isn't letting her watch, but she can easily envision him in her mind. It makes her as aroused as she would be if he had his fingers in her cunt or his tongue lapping at her clitoris or breast.

Over the next few minutes, his heavy breaths turn into grunts. She can hear the pumping of his fist get faster and faster, and the hand on her ass starts to squeeze and relax rhythmically. As his own pleasure increases, so does hers. Her whole body is tingling. She trembles despite not exerting herself at all. Her marks ache. Her cunt contracts at nothing. Her clitoris throbs.

Just when she can't take it any more, when she has to turn around and look or make him shove his dick into her desperate body, she feels his hand tighten on her ass, hears a deep growl of the word, "Mine!", and feels him come all over her lower back in hot streams. She feels the mark on her breast pulse in response, and climaxes right along with him. Despite the fact that he has barely touched her.

And then, after just enough time has passed for him to roll on a condom, she feels his huge cock ram deep into her pussy. She gasps, and keeps coming all over his cock. Her inner walls are spasming and milking him, and there is no better sensation in the world. He can't believe she had an orgasm from what he just did. He knew it would turn her on, the combination of his dominance over her and his lust for her, but wasn't expecting her reaction to mirror his so completely. It gives him further proof that she is meant for him, and him alone. They are completely in tune with one another's bodies.

He holds himself still inside her and lets her ride out the orgasm. He nearly comes again from her response. The size of him filling her, pressed deep inside her, is overwhelming. Then, when she is just calming down, he pulls out almost all the way, and slams back in. She cries out, a little too loudly, and he stills. Thankfully, the a clap of thunder drowns out the sound. He whispers, "Hush, now. I want to fuck you hard and long. I want to make you come, over and over, but you have to be quiet. Can you do that?" She nods frantically. She will agree to anything if he would only move.

So he pulls out again, and slams back in, again and again. The force of him sends pulses of pleasure out from her core. She is where she belongs. She knows that now, as her body thrums with bliss. She doesn't know how long she will have him. She doesn't know if his life will be cut short protecting her, or if she will be taken from him. He is mortal, and so is she, and it lends purpose and meaning to every moment they spend together. Knowing that they cannot have forever heightens each sensation.

So she relishes the experience. She is amazed at his voracious sexual appetite, and knows she is very lucky. She tries to memorize exactly how she feels right now. Focuses on each individual sensation. The grip of his hands on her hips. The sound of his soft grunts as he fucks her. How completely he fills her with each thrust. The slick drag of his head against the most sensitive point on her inner walls. It is absolutely wonderful.

He keeps his pace controlled for many minutes. He slams into her forcefully. He can last as long as he likes, and he wants to draw this out. Like her, he is worried about the days ahead, the battles ahead, the threats to her life, and wants to stay in their perfect bubble for as long as he can. So he keeps her on the edge for as long as possible. But eventually she becomes desperate for another release. She has been doing a good job staying quiet, but her soft gasps start to turn into soft whimpers. Not enough to wake anyone up, but enough to signal her growing need.

So he leans over her, pushing the head of his cock into the spot that makes her crazy, and moves his lips to the mark on her shoulder. She shudders. He presses soft kisses to the spot each time he pulls out of her, and she climbs higher with each thrust, and more needy with each touch of his lips. Then he switches to sweeps of his tongue on the mark, and she whimpers with desire. But he doesn't let her come yet. He stills himself inside her as he drags his tongue on the mark. She quietly begs him to let her come. He loves it. Loves what he can do to her.

And finally, after long minutes of glorious torture, he slips out, pounds in as far as he can go, and rakes his teeth against the mark. And she goes wild. He has to clamp his hand over her mouth to muffle her cries, and she bites down on his finger. Her teeth on him and her spasming cunt feel amazing, and he nearly comes again, right along with her.

But he manages to hold on. She can take more and he knows it. He can wring more climaxes from her body, and knows exactly how. He pulls her flush against him, still mounted on him, her back to his front as he leans back to sit on his heels. He lavishes the mark on her shoulder with more delicate laps of his tongue and waits for her aftershocks to be complete.

Then he whispers in her ear, "I hope you're not tired, honey, because I'm not done with you. I need to touch you. I need to taste you. And then I need to fuck you again." Then he pulls her off him and sets her back onto his bed. He pushes her to lie back, grabs the pillows from the floor to cushion her, and climbs on top of her. He won't take her here; the mattress is too squeaky. But he can't have the girl of his dreams naked in his room and be expected to behave.

He doesn't quite touch her. He has something to tell her first. He hovers over her and murmurs in her ear. "I dreamed of you, waking dreams and sleeping ones, like this, right here, so many times. I have wanted you so badly, and for so long. Do you want to hear?"

She nods, biting her lip. She wants to know. It means so much to her that he has loved her for as long as he has known her. His words make her feel cherished and desired in equal measure. She feels his hot breath on her neck.

"I had this fantasy that you'd get stuck here in a snowstorm, over the holidays maybe. The power would go out, and our dads would be gone for some reason. I'd be on the couch, and you'd be here in my bed, but you'd get cold and come looking for me. I'd end up in this bed with you to keep you warm."

"This sounds a little familiar, Jake," she whispers.

He chuckles. "Yeah. I couldn't get this particular fantasy out of my mind that night in the tent. It's what pissed off Edward so much. But I had thought about it so many times before. And with you wrapped up in my arms, I just couldn't keep it out of my brain."

"So what happens in the fantasy?"

"Well, you get chilly, so you bring me back here with you and ask me to get in. I spoon you, just like this." He maneuvers her into position, his left arm tucked beneath her, his right resting on her hip. "And you let me kiss you goodnight, so I give you just a little one, right here." He softly presses his lips to the sensitive spot behind her ear. She shivers and arches her back. "Mmm... and that's exactly what happens in the dream. Your shirt rides up a little, so I get to do this." The fingers of his left hand lightly brush against her stomach. "It makes you wiggle a little, and you brush up against this." He presses his hard cock into her bottom. "And in the dream, you freeze for a minute, but you don't push me away. So I kiss you some more." He illustrates by brushing her hair out of the way and showering her neck and shoulder with tiny little kisses. It sends her whole body vibrating.

"Eventually, you actually press back into me deliberately." He grips her hip and draws her back against his length. "So I start to move my hand up your shirt, a tiny bit at a time." He flutters his fingers up and down her abdomen in the gentlest little circles, slowly getting closer to her breasts. "And eventually, you turn your head and actually let me kiss you." He gives her a tender, closed mouthed kiss on her lips. "So then I do this." He cups her breast in his left hand. "And when you don't shove me away, I start doing this." He runs his thumb back and forth over the nipple as it hardens.

"Then, in the dream, you start whimpering a little. I start tracing your waistband with my other hand." He strokes the skin of her abdomen with his right hand, while his left starts tugging at her nipple. "And you actually take my hand and slip it under your waistband." He lowers his hand to her mound. "So then I start doing this." He tugs her right leg backward and over his own, opening her to him, and starts to circle her clitoris with one finger. She lets her head fall back to the pillow, and concentrates on his touch and his voice.

"It makes you press yourself against me more." She obliges, and he groans quietly. "And I want to bury myself inside you, but I want to make you come first." His finger speeds up, he presses more firmly, while his other hand rolls her nipple between his fingers. She pulls the pillow into her mouth and lets herself moan. His hands are hot. His sheets are soft. His body is hard but his skin is supple, and she always wants him to be this close to her, whispering things in her ear that make her crazy with want. Now that she has given herself to him, now that she knows what it is to be with him, she doesn't think she can bear to have him taken away. Or bear to be taken away from him. But tonight, she is here, and he is here, and there is nowhere she would rather be. No one else she wants to be with.

And he knows just what to do with her body. He plays her like an instrument. He knows how to draw moans dripping from her lips, whimpers from her throat, cries from deep in her chest, and full throated screams from her solar plexus. His finger moves on her in rapid circles, and she climbs higher. She turns her face into the pillow and whimpers. He presses his cock into her soft flesh. He can wait a little longer to be inside her again, but not much longer.

He moves to whisper in her ear again. "And in my dream, when you start to moan, just like you are right now, I dip my fingers inside." He shifts two fingers down to slide them into her inviting pussy, and she clenches around him. He strokes within her. His voice starts waver with need. "You're so fucking tight, Bells. I wanna be back inside you, so goddamn bad." He starts to pump his hand, and she writhes against him and on him. Her movements grind against his cock.

She still wants to know what happens in his fantasy. She lifts her face from the pillow long enough to ask. "What happens next, Jake?"

"Mmmmm... This, honey." He suckles the tender spot behind her ear. He strokes the tips of his fingers right where it counts, and thumbs her clitoris at the same time, while with his other hand, he pinches her nipple firmly. And she comes hard, riding his hand, her body undulating in waves. She keeps the pillow pressed to her mouth to absorb her ecstatic cries.

Jacob can hardly believe this is happening. Yes, he has already learned her body inside and out. Yes, he has already fought for her and won her. Yes, he has already lost his virginity to the only girl in his world. Yes, he has proven to her that he is not only worthy of her, but can make her happier than anyone else. But he has her in his childhood bed, and she is the living embodiment of his deepest and truest fantasies. He smiles into her hair as he draws out her orgasm with his hands, and he slowly lets her down.

She releases the pillow, and softly pants. "Ohhh. Jake?" she whispers.

He stills his hands on her. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"I love you. So, so much."

In the midst of his lustful haze, his heart melts a little. He slips his hand out of her body and squeezes her tightly. He wants to hear that from her every day for the rest of his life. "Oh, Bella. I love you too. More than anything."

"And Jake?"

He mutters into her hair, "Yeah?"

"Now I see why Edward was so upset that night in the tent."

He puffs laughter onto her scalp. "Oh, man. That isn't the half of it." He slips out from behind her, and rolls her onto her back. "Let me show you the rest of my fantasy." He kneels on the floor, and tugs her legs over his shoulders. He cups her lovely ass in his hands and draws her toward him.

He inhales her essence. For once, she doesn't smell like vanilla and strawberries. A part of him misses it, but she used his unscented soap to bathe, so she smells purely of herself. His wolf loves the unadulterated purity of Bella. He gives in to the urge to sink his teeth into her flesh, and gives her little nips along the insides of her thighs. It isn't enough to leave a mark, and he alternates his teeth with his tongue. Each time she feels the tiny pinches, electricity shoots along her skin.

He starts near her knees, and moves slowly, inexorably, toward her core. He takes his time, and gazes up at her. She props her head against the wall behind her and meets his eyes. She always wants to remember the expression on his face. She sees lust, love, and simple happiness. It is a look she has seen from him a thousand times before, while sitting in his garage, walking on the beach, cooking him dinner in her own kitchen. He held her hand as he cradled her heart in his, and she simply did not recognize it until now. And she realizes that the expression mirrors her own. That she felt all these things for him long before she admitted it to herself. That Edward Cullen has never looked at her with quite so pure an expression, and that she has never looked at him that way either. But she knows she looked at Jacob with the exact same expression, time and time again, with the opposite words coming out of her mouth. Denying what he knew to be true. Denying what he could see written plainly on her face.

Never again.

"When did you know, Jacob?" she keeps her voice low.

He talks to her in between licks and nips of her skin. "Know what, honey?"

"That I loved you? That I was in love with you?"

He blushes. "I knew you wanted me the day you hit your head falling off the bike, and I took off my shirt to wrap the wound. But you didn't love me. Not yet. It was a little bit after I phased. After you figured out about the wolves, and we were hanging out again. We were hiking in the woods. It was raining, just a little. You slipped on a patch of wet leaves and I caught you before you could fall. You giggled and looked up at me, and you looked... You looked at me like you're looking at me now. I thought we had imprinted. That's when I knew." He lowers his head, and licks circles around her clitoris.

She remembers, although his warm tongue on her body is awfully distracting. She had a strong urge to kiss him, but ruthlessly tamped it down, and then managed to erase all memory of the sensation of warm happiness that had enveloped her in that moment. What a fool she had been.

She gasps as he moves down to dip his tongue into her sensitive entrance. "I don't think I ever told you... Mmm... the moment I figured out I was in love with you." She hums in pleasure. She looks down at him, and he is frowning in concentration. "It took me a lot longer to realize, but you're right. Aaaahh..." He kisses her clitoris. "I loved you, all the way back then." He rapidly flicks the tip with his tongue, and if it weren't for concentrating to tell him this, she would be coming again. But he needs to know.

"I figured it out.. It was... It was... the moment you kissed me. Ohhhhhh..." He has slipped one long finger inside her, and is stroking gently. She pants, "On the... On the mountain." His eyes are locked on hers. He speeds his rhythm. "I saw... Unhhh... I saw our future. Mmmm... I saw you... Ahhhh... I saw our children."

His heart stops and skips several beats. He nearly buries himself in her, right then and there. His fantasy included some of this, going down on her until she came and then fucking her until she came again, but this. This surpasses any fantasy he has ever had. This is the truth. This is their truth.

"That's when... Unhhh... I knew... Mmph... that you're... my soulmate... Aahhhhh... One... kiss..." And her body locks and arches as he takes her clitoris between his soft lips and suckles. She climaxes wordlessly, and shakes around him.

He can't wait any longer. He slides up between her legs and buries himself deep inside her as she comes. The bed thumps loudly against the wall, so he lifts her up with his hands under her ass, and carries her to the wall beside the door. Gravity pulls her down further on him with every step. She can't believe how full she feels of him. Even though this isn't the first time he has taken her tonight, even though she is in the midst of a powerful climax, she burns with the stretch of his enormous girth. She keeps coming, a new high overtaking her with each sharp movement. She loves it. He steadies her against the wall, pulls back, and slams inside of her. She shakes with the force of him, and flies apart again.

He fucks her hard and fast and deep. He takes her cries into his own mouth with endless kisses. He can't get enough of her. They could be immortal, as she once wanted to be, and he could never sate his desire for her. But he is not, and she is not, and that creates a purpose for each moment they have with each other. He will spend every possible one of those moments showing her what she is to him. With his body, his mind, his spirit, his soul. For they are all hers. He promised them to her when he was a child. And she has finally accepted them into her care.

His body knows hers. Knows what she wants and what she needs. So he fucks her hard against his bedroom wall, again and again, wringing orgasm after orgasm from her, until they overlap into a continuous amalgam of ecstasy. He fucks her until she is limp with exhaustion. And after he pounds into her a final time, shaking and exploding in his own delirious haze of bliss, he groans a promise into her mouth.

"I will only love you more every day for the rest of our lives. I will do whatever you need. I will be whomever you require. I'm yours until the day I die."


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Monday  
X-x-x-x-X

As she slowly comes awake, Bella smells Jacob's scent all around her. For once, she wakes up exactly where she wants to be. In his bed, in his sheets, surrounded by his things, in his little red house. It feels more like her home than her own. She can hear him down the hall, chattering happily with his sister and father. Pleasant scents are wafting through the house. She blinks blearily at the thin light coming through his window. The rain hasn't stopped, but the storm has passed. She lifts the covers and peeks down at herself, and finds his comfy black t-shirt. Jacob gave her a tender sponge bath and redressed her after he made love to her the night before. She vaguely remembers having the muscle tone of a wet noodle after he finished with her only a few hours earlier. She giggles to herself. There is probably some evolutionary reason that most men can't have sex over, and over, and over again without stopping. Something about sexing their partners to death. She wonders if she can come up with a plausible excuse not to go to work today. Post-coital exhaustion is not an acceptable reason, accurate though it might be. Of course, if Jacob manages to get her alone during the day, she won't get any recovery time. He would just fatigue her further. And she would be so very, very happy about it.

She slips out of bed and tries to make herself look presentable, and is happily surprised to find a brush and a hand mirror sitting on his dresser, along with her jeans and one of Rachel's clean shirts. Jacob had probably taken one look at her mussed appearance and realized that if she came out of his room looking like she does right now, she will never be allowed to sleep over, ever again. She makes herself as presentable as possible, manages to slip into the bathroom to brush her teeth without being seen, and joins the Blacks for breakfast. On her way to the kitchen, she peeks into the living room. The couch cushions look disrupted, and there is a pillow mashed into the corner of the seat. She wonders when Jacob snuck out of the bedroom to make it look like he actually slept out there. Does anyone actually think he did?

Jacob is at the stove flipping an omelet over. There is an open spot at the table with a little bowl of yogurt, and a pile of fresh berries and granola to mix in. More importantly, there is a full mug of steaming coffee waiting for her. "Morning, honey!" Jacob greets her brightly, and comes over to give her a quick peck on the lips. He pulls out the chair for her, and she greets Billy and Rachel, who are mostly done with their food. She realizes she is very, very hungry. Apparently nights with Jacob burn lots of calories. She is nearly done with her yogurt when Jacob sets the omelet in front of her, as well as a heaping pile of hash browns. She is hungrier than usual, but not that hungry.

"I don't think I can eat all that, Jake!"

He grins. "Do you honestly think I have a problem finishing your leftovers?"

Rachel pipes up, "He made me a plate like that too, and then ate the half I couldn't finish. On top of the omelet he made for himself, and half of dad's." She turns to her father. "How can you afford to pay the electric bill? Does all your money go to food?"

Billy looks up from the newspaper, pretending to be in serious thought. "Yes, Rachel. Yes, it does. Although the fact that he eats all the food in the house is a good way to keep my diabetes under control. Starvation at the hands of one's ravenous son is a good way to lower my sugar levels."

Jacob teases back from his place at the stove. "Oh, hush, old man. I always make sure to at least leave you some scraps."

Billy whoops, "As if I were the dog in the room!"

Rachel's phone chimes, and she frowns at it. "This is the third text this morning." She shows it to Bella. "We're going out in four hours, and he can't wait until then? Why did I give him my number?"

Bella scrolls through the texts. Paul has apparently turned into a panicking tween girl.

_Cant wait 2CU!_

_Do U like coffee or T?_

_Haven't heard from U Rach. RU OK?_

Jacob looks over her shoulder and laughs. "Sorry, Rach. It's actually hard for him just to be away from you. If you aren't directly in his presence, he's going to freak out that he can't protect you."

She looks indignant. "From what? Being overfed by my bottomless pit of a baby brother? If he doesn't stop me from eating too much, I'll explode?"

They are interrupted by a knock at the front door, and Leah lets herself in. "Morning, Blacks. I'm here for my daily chaperone duties." She saunters into the kitchen, peeks at the phone and laughs. "Oh, man, is this Paul? Good luck, Rachel. I don't envy you one bit."

Rachel replies, "I've known him for what, two days? He's a total stalker! Is this what imprinting is supposed to be? Badgering a girl until she gives in?"

Leah reaches out for the phone. "Here, let me help."

_I'm fine. My name is Rachel. I love music, romantic movies, long walks on the beach, proper English grammar, and peaceful mornings without my phone buzzing every ten minutes. I'll see you later if I still feel like it._ She hits send, and then returns the phone to Rachel, who snickers.

"That was mean!"

Leah shrugs. "See if you get a few hours of peace now, and then thank me later."

Rachel stuffs the phone back into her pocket. "No, no. I'll thank you now. Text message abbreviations drive me crazy."

Just then, the house phone rings, and Billy reaches to answer it. "Yes, this is Billy. Good morning Paul, do you want to speak with Rachel?" He pauses, stifling a laugh, and gestures to Jacob, who rolls his eyes and takes the phone. Rachel's mouth drops open. _Seriously?_ She mouths to Bella and Leah.

"Dude, what do you want? Did you not get the message?" There is a short pause. "Sure, sure, I'll pass it along." Another pause, during which Jacob tries not to laugh. "No, just lunch." He snickers into the back of his hand. "Nuh uh. Maybe some other time." Another pause. "Man, it's raining! She doesn't want to do that in the rain!" He is beginning to get exasperated. "Just ask her when you see her!" He rolls his eyes again. "Well, what time did you guys settle on?" A brief pause. "Just come then. Just take her to lunch." He pinches the bridge of his nose. "Food. Human food." Pause. "Yes, that's fine. Look, I gotta go, okay? Just calm down and be here when you said you'd be here, and don't bug her until then, okay?" Pause. "I'm hanging up now, Paul." Pause. "I'm... I'm...Paul...Goodbye!" He sets the phone back in the cradle with a smack, and the girls' barely contained laughter fills the room.

Jacob turns to Leah and points at her. "I blame you for this." But as he speaks starts to make her breakfast anyway. "He wants to know if Rachel wants to take a walk on the beach today, in the rain, and how will he keep her dry?" He looks at his sister. "And he's really sorry he made you feel uncomfortable, and are you going to make him watch a chick flick, and what kind of music do you like, because he can start learning about it, and what kind of food do you like, and is he still allowed to see you?" He huffs in frustration. "Imprinting is so stupid!"

Leah laughs, and picks hash browns off Bella's plate. "Like you're any better, Black! At least Paul has an excuse. Being inside your brain is every bit as bad. 'What's Bella doing? What's Bella wearing? Is Bella thinking about me? What does Bella want to do today? Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella.'"

Bella blushes and looks at Jacob, who looks back at her, grins, and shrugs. Leah is... accurate. But they are both so happy that neither of them can be embarrassed.

Rachel looks back and forth between them. "Okay, fine. You guys are ridiculously cute. Almost as cute as when he chased you around when he was a toddler."

Leah adds, "Yeah, it's nauseating!" But she has a big smile on her face, too, and Bella knows that Leah is genuinely happy for them. After Leah eats the omelet Jacob prepared for her, they say goodbye to the Blacks and leave for Newton's. Leah hops in the driver's side.

Jacob leans in the window to kiss her goodbye. "Tomorrow I'll take over your daytime patrol, okay honey? I have to meet with the Cullens again today, see what they know. I'll let you know. We can have Charlie over for dinner tonight, if you want, before his shift. Rachel offered to cook." And he presses another kiss on her lips.

Leah threatens to pull away and run over his feet while Jacob's head is still in the window. "Wanna see if your healing abilities can fix decapitation and two broken feet all at once? Kiss your girlfriend later. She has somewhere to be." And they tear out of the driveway. A minute later, Leah glances over. "So, enjoying the walk of shame?"

"Hey, this is a fresh shirt!"

"Uh huh. Rachel's shirt. And I'd bet a hundred dollars that every other article of clothing you've got on, you wore yesterday." Bella's silence is answer enough. "Skank." Leah declares.

Bella smacks her arm, and then regrets it. "Ow! Crap! You're almost as hard as Jacob."

Leah snorts. "Dammit, Swan, you almost made me make a 'That's what she said' joke. Only I'm a girl and it wouldn't make any sense."

"Plus it would be the lamest thing that ever came out of your mouth!"

"Guess I'm spending too much time with Quil. This is why I need female friends, Bella." Leah looks at her askance. "Although, you're apparently as kinky as Paul, so that doesn't help me at all."

"Leah!" Bella blushes scarlet. "I am not!"

Leah cocks a brow. "Okay, sure you're not. It's not like you like to be ordered around or anything." Bella groans and slides down in her seat a little. "Blame Paul. That's the memory he let slip to Edward. Overhearing you guys in the garage before I dragged him away." And now everything is a little clearer to Bella.

"No wonder Edward lost it. I was wondering."

"I almost felt bad for him. Would have, had he not been a perverted hundred year old corpse trying to seduce a teenaged girl."

"He's not a corpse!"

"Fine. Reanimated corpse."

"Okay, he's not a zombie either!"

"Pretty close, though."

"Says the werewolf!"

Leah grins. "Touché. Anyway, Quil genuinely wants to know if a vampire can get an erection. We had a debate. There's no blood flow, so that's a strike against. But they are hard as stone to begin with, so that's one for. We have no one to ask except for you, unless one of us decides to call them up and just ask."

Bella laughs. "I can't believe one of you hasn't convinced another one to do that, like on a dare."

"Like from middle school? Like a double dog dare?"

"Exactly. You know this is true. Get enough guys together in a casual group, and no matter how mature they are, once they get comfortable enough with each other, they degenerate into twelve year olds."

"Yeah, that's completely true. But you're evading the question."

"What question?" Bella fails to redirect Leah.

"Can they?"

"Are you gonna make me say it again?"

Bella snorts. "Yes. If you're going to make me answer it, I'm going to make you ask it again."

"Fine. Can a vampire's dick get hard?"

"Leah!"

"What, you made me repeat it! It's your own fault!"

Bella huffs, and then admits, "Okay, okay. Yes. It can."

Leah's eyes get wide. "I didn't think you actually knew the answer!"

"Why not?"

"Isn't Jacob your first? I thought you were a virgin before Jake?"

"Oh! Of course! Oh my god, yes I was."

"So you guys just fooled around a little?"

"What? No! Never! Like we talked about before, he wouldn't touch me. We just made out a little. I was really... frustrated."

Leah snorts. "No shit, Swan. Where did you think all those kinky dreams of Jake came from? But wait, so how do you know?"

"It was actually kind of scary. One of those nights he was in my room and I was dreaming about Jake, he overheard me, because, well, of course he did. I must have never actually said Jake's name out loud, because I woke up in the middle of one, and he wasn't upset. I was being, um, kind of loud, I guess, and I woke up Charlie. Edward woke me up. He was sort of turned on. He was lying on me and had his hand over my mouth, trying to keep me quiet, and I felt it."

Leah is nodding. She can't decide if she is horrified or impressed. She decides she is both. "And?"

"And what?"

"How did he, you know, compare?"

"To what?"

"To what? You moron, to Jake!"

"Oh!" Bella does feel stupid. What else could Leah have meant? This conversation is just turning her brain to mush. Or maybe all of the sex she is having with Jacob is turning her brain to mush. "He didn't. Not really."

Leah nods. "Thought so. Bet you're glad you didn't go through with it, huh?"

"Yes, obviously."

There is a brief pause. "So, how big is he?"

"Edward?"

"Yeah. I'm curious. So sue me."

Bella isn't really sure since it was only pressed against her thigh briefly, and she can't believe she is going through with this, but she holds her hands apart.

"Wait. That's not that small."

"It's not?"

"Nuh uh. It's above average, I think."

"Bigger than most of the pack?"

Leah shrugs. "Well, no, probably not. Although it's difficult to say. I'm up close and personal with them, but not while they're all hot and bothered. I doubt it, but I'm also pretty sure the pack is oversized in general. You know, compared to regular guys."

"Oh." Bella doesn't know what to say. Leah pulls up to the back of the store and shifts the car into park. Her eyes flick to the window quickly. She can't resist.

"Wait, so how big is Jake?"

Bella blushes even harder, and holds her hands apart quite a bit farther.

"You're kidding." She freezes as she reaches to take the keys out of the ignition.

"No, why would I kid?" Bella opens her car door.

"Dear lord, Swan. How can you walk?" Leah says this unnecessarily loudly, and when Bella gets out of the cab, she understands why. Mike Newton is standing at the back alley, gaping at them.

She turns back to glare at Leah, who is doubled over, trying to hide just how hard she is laughing.

She spends her entire shift trying to avoid Mike, a difficult feat considering that he is, for most of the day, the only other person in the store.

Leah, thankfully, has had her fill of teasing Bella by the time she comes back bearing lunch and Peninsula College course catalogs in her hand. It is still drizzling outside, so they eat in the break room. Mike has recovered his compoure by then to go back to his original state of discomposure around Leah, and spends the hour making up excuses to come and interrupt them.

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob's morning is less humiliating than Bella's. He patrols LaPush until it is time to meet the doctor at the treaty line. He has Brady stick close to the ocean. The newborn, of whom they have heard nothing since he returned, and Edward Cullen both know that the water is their weak spot. Jacob himself patrols the rest of LaPush. He would rather be with Bella, and plans to take that patrol whenever possible. But he trusts Leah almost as much as he trusts himself. He knows she would put herself on the line for any of her brothers, and she would do the same for Bella. Already has, in fact.

He has immense gratitude for his pack's willingness to go so far out of their way to protect the woman he loves. Although Billy and Old Quil stood behind him in the council and defended his relationship with Bella, going so far as to place it in a position of importance due to the significance of their dreams, he knows better than anyone the risk his pack is taking on to protect her. He wasn't lying when he told Bella that he didn't blame her for the trouble she is in. He really does blame the Cullens. They should have known better than to lure into their world an unsuspecting human girl.

As he patrols, he doesn't have much to think about other than the Cullens, the Volturi, and the risk to Bella. It would be more fun to relive his night with Bella, but he isn't alone. He doesn't want to share his experiences with Bella with anyone. Paul's memory of them was bad enough, and nearly prompted an irreversible crisis with the Cullens. He reviews his decision to let Edward live, and can't help shake the nagging feeling that Edward will be back. In all honesty, he would feel a lot more comfortable if Cullen was dead. But there was no right decision to be made at the time, just a lot of bad ones. He hopes he picked the best of a set of poor options. He has no doubt that the Cullens would have all jumped over the line to defend Edward had he ripped his head off like he really wanted to. Even the blonde leech, who seemed to think it was funny when he kept Edward's hand. He hopes that will be enough to keep Edward at bay. After all, Jacob knows what it is like to love Bella Swan. Edward's feelings for her aren't going to disappear, no matter how destructive they are.

His thoughts get increasingly somber as noon approaches. When Sam phases in, they head toward the treaty line, leaving Brady on patrol in LaPush, and Leah covering Bella. They have asked any available members of the pack to phase in, just in case, but not to join them. Jacob phases to human so he can speak with them, and Sam stays in wolf form to be able to communicate easily with the pack. Carlisle and Alice arrive minutes after Jacob and Sam.

Carlisle greets them formally. There is a tension on his face that is usually better hidden than it is today. Even Alice isn't her usual, hyper self. Jacob gets right to business. "Is there any news?"

Alice nods. "The Volturi do plan on coming. They know that Bella wasn't to be changed until after the wedding, and had no intention on checking until after that time. But they haven't chosen a time yet. I don't know what the variables are, but the decision keeps shifting."

"So what do you see?"

Alice looks uneasily at Carlisle, who tells her to tell Jacob everything.

"There are several futures, shifting back and forth. I can't see much, probably because you're involved." She smiles a sad, little smile. "Some of them, well, they would make you very happy, Jacob. They would make Bella happy. What little of them I can see." Then her face falls. "There are others, quite clear, in which she is human. But I can see her easily." She says the last part very carefully.

"Which means I'm not there. Which means I'm dead." It comes out more easily than it ought to. He can sense Sam stiffening behind him. But he was expecting to hear as much. He already knew he might not survive whatever comes next. But as long as Bella does, he can accept it.

Alice's voice is very quiet. "Yes. But one future is different. But still quite unclear." She pauses, unwilling to go further.

Jacob can feel his heart pounding in his chest. "Just tell me," he growls.

"There aren't any versions in which she is entirely dead, so let that count for something, all right? And it isn't set in stone, not at all. Keep that in mind, okay? And the one that I used to see, the one of her as my own sister, content with Edward, well, it doesn't exist anymore."

"What is it? Just spit it out!"

"In the other future, she is a vampire. A vicious one. Angry. But I still can't see much of it."

Carlisle prompts gently, "Tell him why. Tell him why you still can't see very much."

Alice nods. "In that vision, her eyes aren't red. So she doesn't kill humans, Jacob. But I can't see much else. I think that even if she gets turned, I think she is still with you, Jacob, or with the pack in some way. I can't think of any other reason I wouldn't be able to see her. Whatever it is you have with her, it doesn't end. I know it isn't what you want, and it isn't what she wants. But whatever happens, if you survive this, you're still with her."

Jacob feels dizzy, and almost sways on his feet. He wants a real, human future with Bella. Not some twisted, sick, monstrous version. But he also sees truth in what Alice has said. What he and Bella share is strong. Too strong to be broken, even should she be reborn into his mortal enemy. If he had to choose between his pack, his life, his family, his home, and leave to be with her, vampire or no, the answer is clear. He would walk away from all of it to be with her.

Carlisle adds, "Jasper has been expending enormous amounts of energy keeping Edward calm, and reading his mood. He thinks that if it weren't for Alice's visions, which Edward has been able to read, he might have tried to forcibly change her by now. But now that he knows that she chooses you either way, even if she is turned, he won't try. Not as long as he thinks she will still choose you."

Jacob doesn't know whether to laugh or to cry. So instead, he squares his shoulders and takes calming breaths. There are still alternatives. Amongst all the despair, there is still a chance for him to have the life he wants. The one with a living, breathing Bella by his side.

"And your upcoming plans?"

"If it is acceptable to you, we will leave as previously scheduled. As I mentioned, I still have shifts at the hospital, and we all agree that separating Edward from the rest of the family right now is a bad idea."

Jacob would rather he be gone immediately, but Carlisle's reasoning is sound. It would appear that Jasper, in particular, is necessary to ensure Edward's good behavior. "Once you go, you will be allowed back only with permission, as I stated yesterday. But Edward is not allowed to return under any circumstances. He has shown himself to be unable to control his violent urges. And the fact that he has considered changing her against her will only reinforces my decision. If Bella wants to see him, that will be her choice, but it will not be here on the Olympic Peninsula, and I would plan on accompanying her for her protection."

Alice looks a bit crestfallen. Her dreams of Bella as her sister have slipped away entirely.

"If those terms are acceptable terms, I will draw up documents for signature."

Carlisle asks, rather tentatively, "And Edward's hand?"

Jacob growls. "Don't push your luck. He's lucky I let him live. He broke the treaty, and I had every right to rip him apart and burn the pieces. I'm keeping it until the day I think Bella is safe from him. Then he can have it back."

Carlisle protests, "It doesn't cripple him, exactly, but he can't blend in without it. It doesn't look like a normal human amputation. Without his hand, he can't go to school with the others. He won't be able to associate with people."

Jacob is having a hard time phasing, he is getting so angry. "That's the idea! He shouldn't be associating with humans! I'm not going to leave him with the ability to lure some other unsuspecting girl into his clutches. I'll let him live, but I'm not going to help him ruin some other girl's life!" He closes his eyes and tries to calm down. "Anyway, you're the doctor. Can't you get him a prosthetic?"

Carlisle makes a placating gesture with his hands. "Of course. I shall. And we appreciate that you have not destroyed it. Should the day come when you see fit to return it, I can always reattach it."

Jacob shudders with disgust at the thought. "Fine. If there is nothing else, then we're done here. I'll come to your office with the papers later today."

Alice clears her throat. "I'll plan on keeping you informed of anything I learn. And I'd like to see her before we go."

"Then call her. Like I said, I'm not stopping her from seeing you. But if you think she's coming within a mile of that monster you call a brother, you're dreaming." Alice nods, and in a flash, they're gone.

Jacob's shoulders slump with fatigue. He wants so much for that to be the last of the Cullens. But he knows it is not to be. Now he just has to find a way to stay alive. And for Bella to stay alive.

He spends the next two hours at Embry's house typing, erasing, and retyping up new language for the updated treaty. Is it still called a treaty if one party is basically kicking the other party out of town? Is there proper terminology when referring to a dismembered hand? Will the other party consider the treaty void if he refers to them as "goddamn fucking bloodsuckers" in the text? And why does anyone think that this flimsy piece of paper will stop either side from doing whatever the hell they want to do?

Jacob sighs and stabs at Embry's computer keys. "No wonder lawyers make so much money, man. You couldn't pay me enough to write this shit up for a living."

As the document prints, Embry replies dryly, "Don't worry, no one's going to pay you a cent for any of this. Want me to run it to Dr. Fang?"

"I'd better go in person," Jacob sighs. All he really wants to do is go home and hug Bella and never let her go. "I'm probably supposed to sign it in front of him or something. Maybe in my own blood. That's how this works, right? But I should bring backup, just in case."

So they head to the hospital, which at least has the advantage of being relatively neutral ground. But it also has the disadvantage of being filled with skeptical staff who aren't interested in paging Dr. Cullen out of whatever he is doing to come meet them. Embry jokes to Jacob that one of them can break the other's leg in the waiting room of the emergency room, and then maybe they can finally get his attention. But he emerges out of nowhere, saying, "That won't be necessary," and leads them into his office. They take care of their business as efficiently as possible, and amongst themselves, hope not to have to see Dr. Cullen for a very, very long time.

When Jacob finally arrives home, Bella is already there, her suitcase propped by the front door. He smiles at the sight. He wants her to bring all her things over to stay. Permanently. He feels sappy, and in his mind starts building a little house for her right here on the rez. It should overlook the water, but be close to the treeline so he can phase. He would give her a nice, large kitchen to cook in, a cozy bedroom just big enough for a king sized bed, and a bathroom with a huge tub so he can bathe her after he makes love to her in the aforementioned giant bed. The little house could get bigger every time they add to their family. He could add to it over the years. Build a swing set in the back yard. That is the future he wants. Not the twisted one in which he leaves everything behind to follow the half dead shade of the woman he loves, or leaves her to fend for herself without him. Staring at her suitcase, and listening to her laugh with his sister and Leah in the next room, he resolves to give her the future he wants. The future he knows she now wants. With him.

By the time Jacob enters the kitchen, he has a soft smile on his face. He will keep his goal forefront in his mind. The little house with his Bells inside. He greets everyone and sweeps Bella up in his arms, and gives her a soft kiss. It ends abruptly when Rachel smacks him in the shoulder with a spatula, and says, "If Paul ever gets like that with me, spray him with water. Like you do with a misbehaving pet."

He sets Bella back down and tucks her under his arm. "Things went that well on your date, huh?"

"It wasn't a date! And no, they absolutely did not!"

"So what happened?" Jacob sits on a chair and pulls Bella into his lap.

"Yes, do tell," says Leah, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"He has no concept of personal space." Now Jacob frowns. If Paul is putting the moves on his sister and making her uncomfortable, Jacob will rip off both his arms. Rachel sees his expression and clarifies, "Not like that. He's just... a close talker. Like from Seinfeld. You guys remember the episode about the boyfriend of Elaine's? The one who stands, like, eight inches away when talking to someone? It was like that. Every time I turned around, he was right there." She holds her hand in front of her face in order to illustrate. "And he's quiet. Stealthy, like a cat. It was like he was sneaking up on me. Scared the crap out of me a couple times."

"What did you guys do?" Leah asks.

"Ugh. Went to a cafe."

"What's wrong with the cafe?" Bella asks, giggling a little as Jacob nuzzles a ticklish spot on her neck with his nose.

"The waitresses," Jacob snorts, while Leah snickers.

"Why did he take you there, then?" Leah wonders.

"It was my choice. He was trying to get all fancy and go for some big, expensive meal. I wasn't up for that kind of a production, so I asked to go there. He tried to steer me away. Now I know why."

Leah adds, "The rest of the pack steers clear of that place now. It's too uncomfortable for us since we know that we might run into them."

Bella is a few steps behind. "Wait, what's up with the waitresses?"

Rachel looks annoyed, so Leah clarifies. "There are two of them. No one knows their names, so Quil named them Moxy and Roxy."

Rachel breaks in. "There is no excuse for not knowing their names. They wear name tags! Their names are Miranda and Elle. And Elle is a very sweet girl."

"You're kidding. Sweet is definitely not what we got from his brain," Jacob states.

"That's because he's a pig! And admittedly, Elle is a little gullible."

Leah rolls her eyes. "You mean that she's easy."

"He's been manipulating them. They were good friends before he came along and screwed things up. Elle thought she was his girlfriend. Miranda, not so much. And he couldn't even be bothered to learn their names!"

Bella asks, "How did they not notice that?"

Jacob contributes, "He calls them all 'baby' or 'babe'. The smart ones notice, and kick him to the curb."

Rachel looks disgusted. "If he ever calls me 'babe', kick his ass for me, will you Jake?"

"Do I have to wait until he calls you 'babe'? I'd love to get an excuse."

Rachel sighs. "He was actually okay today. Although he started to get angry when Elle came over to seat us. She clearly didn't know what to think of me. I'm guessing he is usually smarter than to take dates there. He tried to introduce me as his girlfriend. She looked absolutely shocked."

"But she knew about Miranda, right? She must have," asks Leah.

"Miranda, yes. All the others, no." Rachel pauses. "How many others are there?"

Leah puts up her hands in a 'don't look at me' gesture, and Jacob looks up in the air and away from his sister.

"Fine. Anyway, Elle was nice enough, but seemed pretty disappointed that he was there with me. Miranda, well, don't even get me started. It's just, no. Just no."

Leah prompts, "Oh, come on. You can't leave it like that. What did she do?"

Rachel turns red. She doesn't want to talk about this in front of her brother, but as soon as he phases in with Paul, he will know anyway. "She thought I was there for her."

Leah snorts. "You're kidding."

"Nope. Guess I wouldn't be the first."

Bella is still a couple steps behind. "Wait, I thought she was seeing Paul too. Why would she want a date with you?"

Jacob thinks it's infuriating an hilarious all at once. Paul is a dead man. And he doesn't need to do it himself. Rachel has him by the balls. "Um, a date with both of them at the same time. Paul and Miranda and Rachel."

"Oh." Bella figures out what Jake is referring to, and her eyes get wide. "Oh!"

"That was the end of lunch, as far as I was concerned. But Paul didn't quite see it that way."

"Are you seeing him again?" Leah asks.

"I don't know. We're not going on another date, I'll tell you that. But he was awfully desperate to see me again. And it isn't as if I'm going to sleep with the guy, so what do I care if he's a slut? I care that he's a user."

Bella pipes up. "Maybe that's what your imprint is for. You'll stop him from being such a user. Help him grow up a little."

Leah smirks, "Can't make him any worse."

Rachel looks to Jacob. "What do you think I should do?"

He shrugs. "You've got him pegged, that's for sure. You know where he's coming from. Question is, where's he going, and do you want to go there with him?"

Rachel sighs. "This would be so much easier if he was a normal stalker. What happens to him if I refuse to see him again?"

Leah and Jacob look at one another uncomfortably. "Well, he has to abide by your wishes."

"Right, but what happens to him?"

Bella feels Jacob's grip tightening around her waist. "Well, pain, basically."

Rachel shakes her head. "It really just doesn't seem fair."

Leah adds quietly, "Not to either of you." It's a point that everyone in the room can agree on.

The newly somber mood is broken when they hear a car door slam, and Charlie rolls Billy into the house. Billy calls out, "Look what I found wandering around outside, starving and pathetic. Can we feed him dinner, kids, before I release him back into the wild?"

"Hey! Who are you calling pathetic, old man?" Charlie laughs.

Jacob replies, "You know he'll just come back again if you feed him, dad. You always taught us not to feed strays."

"Well, if this is the kind of welcome you give guests, maybe I'll take Bella and go home!" Charlie frowns in mock anger.

Jacob says, "Wait, if I feed Bella, will she come back like a stray kitten? Is that what I should have been doing all this time? Plying her with food?"

Rachel chimes in. "You're getting her mixed up with yourself, Jake. The way you eat, clearly the way to your heart is through your stomach."

Jacob kisses Bella on the crown of her head. "Good thing Bells is such a good cook, then."

Jacob pulls a card table out from storage so they can all eat in the small kitchen together. Leah stays for the meal, and conversation flows freely. Rachel turns out to be an excellent cook. As Bella leans back in her chair, stuffed to the brim, she smiles at the laughing faces around her. So this is what a happy family feels like. She knows how lucky she is to have them.

She glances up from her reverie to see her father looking at her warmly. The exhaustion she has gotten so used to seeing on his face-it's gone. He is happy. She realizes she has made him happy, just by smiling. She feels Jacob squeezing her hand where it rests in her lap. He sees it too.

She finally understands. For once, she pities the Cullens. This is the experience that Esme wanted to replicate for Bella the night she cooked for her when they first met. She had tried so hard. Every day, she tries so hard. But although the Cullens have replicated as much of this as they can, have created a more traditional family unit, in fact, with a mother, a father, and a brood of children, but they missed one important element. The soul. They have collected together a group that they call a family, that is the closest they will ever have. But do they ever sit like this? Meet like this? All of them, around a table, laughing and joking and yelling at each other? She has never seen it. The closest they ever got was playing baseball together, or throwing a party. The pairs are always off doing their own thing. Esme tried to force it, hoped Bella would be the missing ingredient that pulled it all together.

She spent so much time longing for just this. Exactly what she has in front of her. What was always waiting for her, right here in LaPush. It isn't picture perfect the way she thought the Cullens were, so she didn't recognize it at first. The furniture is pushed hastily together. The chairs don't match. There are absent members who should be at the table. Rebecca. Renee. Sarah. But there are others who could easily join. On another night, Seth will be here, and Sue. Sometimes Embry. Maybe even Paul, someday. But the core is here, has been here, waiting for her the whole time. The people who love her more than anything, who have loved her for years. Others will come and go. The family will expand, contract, and shift. She will find new friends here, and old ones will come to visit, and maybe someday, if she and Jacob can find their someday, they can add permanent members to the family.

When Charlie has to leave for the station, Jacob walks him to the door. Bella hears Charlie's voice, gruff and low, and sees out of the corner of her eye her father reaching up to clap Jacob on the shoulder. "Thanks, son. Thanks for bringing her home."

And Jacob aims his bright, sunny smile at Charlie, and simply says, "Sure, sure."

The warm glow lasts after Leah has gone home. Rachel is curled up on the armchair in her pajamas. Billy is in a fine mood, and is sitting up with them in the living room, chatting happily, beer in hand. He is telling them a story of his courtship with Sarah, eyes shining with memories, voice soft and warm with a sad nostalgia. Bella is stretched out on the living room couch, Jacob is seated on the floor in front of her, long legs sprawled across the floor, head resting on her thigh. She runs her fingers through his hair, and he hums happily. Billy's audience is rapt with sad fascination.

And then, a little before midnight, just as Billy is launching into the story of how he proposed to their mother, the kitchen phone rings. Jacob frowns. It's awfully late to be getting a phone call. It can't be a wolf with an emergency; they would just howl.

It is Carlisle Cullen. "Jacob, I'm so sorry to bother you so late tonight, and with worrying news. It's Edward. He's gone."


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Monday night  
X-x-x-x-X

Jacob snarls into the phone, "Gone? What do you mean, gone?" It draws the attention of his family, who wait silently for an explanation.

"They had to go hunting. Jasper has been using all of his own energy to keep Edward calm. He had to feed. And Edward himself hadn't had anything in days. They were both becoming quite weak. So the boys went hunting, Emmett and Jasper and Edward. Rosalie went along too."

"So if he was so well guarded, how did he get away?"

"Jasper only lost focus for a minute, only let down his guard of Edward's emotions momentarily. Edward bolted. He is the fastest member of the family, so no one could catch up. He was distracted by big game prey. They ran into a grizzly, you see."

"No, I don't see. How did the psychic not see this coming? He must have been planning this the whole time."

Alice picks up a phone and responds directly. "That's just the thing. He didn't decide to do it until it happened. He wasn't planning on running away, maybe because Jas was doing such a good job keeping his panic at bay. He must have decided to do it the instant the calming influence faded, and just ran."

"So what's everyone doing at home on the phone with me? Where the fuck did he go, and why aren't you there?"

"Everyone else is out trying to track him. Alice has been trying to see what he plans on doing. We thought we shouldn't wait to inform you, though. We will keep you appraised as the situation develops. When we find him, we will take him directly away."

"You'd better pray you find him before I do," Jacob snarls into the phone. "If I get to him first, you can cart away a pile of ash." He slams the phone down.

He kneels in front of Bella and takes her hands in his. "I think you figured out that Edward ran away. They don't know where he is, or where he's going. I have to assume he's going to come after you, honey. I'm going to alert the pack. You'll be safe in here. I'm going to do a tight patrol around the house myself tonight, and I'll be right outside your work all day long tomorrow. We already increased the number of wolves on patrol. I'm going to redo the patrol route as well. We don't let anything happen to you, honey." He kisses her swiftly on the lips and runs outside.

Jacob sprints into the woods and phases quickly, and starts running a tight perimeter around his home. Everything that means anything to him is inside that house. There isn't any way that Edward Cullen is getting past him. Embry is running the LaPush border, and Jared is keeping watch over Charlie Swan.

_Bad news, guys. Cullen ran away._

Jared quietly waits for instructions, while Embry just adds, _Shit. Any clue what he's doing?_

_I have to believe he is going to come after Bella. He thinks I put her under some kind of spell. He thinks he needs to rescue her from me, I think._

_Ironic._

_You're telling me. She's staying at my house all week long, so it should make it easier to watch over her. When Charlie gets off nights, I'm not sure what we'll do, but we can address it then._

Jared adds, _I'm already watching him anyway, so it shouldn't be hard. We'll just concentrate on their house as usual._

_Yeah. You're right. For now I just want to switch up the patrol routes a little. Cullen knows our weak spot is the ocean, so Embry, I want you to stick close to the water. Jared, instead of keeping right on Charlie, I want you to do a bigger loop. Swing by the western border of Forks so you can keep an eye on the eastern border of the Rez when you loop around. I'm going to do a tight loop around my house, since that's where Bella is. And I'm going to take her daytime shift tomorrow; watch her while she's at work._

Embry is occupied asking Jacob when he plans to sleep, when they are all surprised as Paul unexpectedly phases in. _Uh, hi. I couldn't sleep. Don't mind me. Just going for a run._

Jared greets him, _You have good timing. Jake has news. Cullen took off, and Jake thinks he's going to make a run for Bella._

_Shit. Sorry, man. _Jacob is shocked when Paul doesn't make some sarcastic comment, or tell him that he should have killed Cullen when he had the chance. _What can I do?_

Jacob responds, _There is going to be plenty of work to go around. You may as well get some rest while you can. We have it covered for tonight._

_Well, I can't sleep. You may as well put me to work. Did I hear right that you're planning on running all night, then going to do Bella's patrol tomorrow?_

_Yeah. I was planning on it anyway. Tonight I just have to be out here. I don't know when Cullen's going to show up, but I have to believe he is going to try to get her. _He adds in an explanation of the new patrol route he has for Embry and Jared.

In reply, Paul repeats Embry's question_. So if you run all night long, and then patrol all day long, and then run all night long again, when are you going to sleep?_

_After Cullen is dead._

_Well, unless he conveniently shows up in the next twenty four hours to let you rip him apart, you're going to be delirious before you get a chance. I meant it when I said I couldn't sleep, man. I'm too torn up about your sister. Let me take the patrol around the house tonight. I know you don't like that I imprinted on Rachel. Hell, I don't like that I imprinted on Rachel. But it happened. And your girl is in the same place your sister is. If you think there is any way a bloodsucker is getting past me and into the house where your sister is sleeping, you've lost your mind._

Jacob considers his offer, and while doing so, asks about Rachel._ So what's going on with you and Rachel? I heard her version. What's yours?_

Paul starts running in a larger loop around Jacob, in the opposite direction. He is going to protect his imprint whether or not he gets the okay from his Alpha. _Great. So you heard her version. So you know it was awful._

_She called you a "close-talker", which was pretty damn funny._

_Shit. I knew I was too close. It's just so hard to be close to her and not touch her._ Paul's train of thought, never very well controlled, start to veer off to a territory that Jacob never, ever wants to visit.

_Dude, that's my sister! Do not go there. Not ever. Besides, after she met those waitresses today, and Lauren over the weekend, she probably thinks you'll give her herpes._

Jared breaks in. _Wait, what happened?_

Paul fills them in on the horrifying experience of introducing his imprint to Elle, who found out the hard way that Paul wasn't her boyfriend, by way of her former best friend, Miranda, seeing him as well. And to top it off, he replays the mortifying experience of having Miranda, in all seriousness, suggest to Rachel that they were going to have a threesome. Embry and Jared try to stifle their laughter, but are totally unable, while Jacob just gets angry.

_Fuck! What am I supposed to do? I can't go back and undo any of those things._

_Well, all she knows about you so far is that you're randomly obsessed with her, and that you're a total slut._

_What did she say about me? What did she say exactly? _Paul is afraid of the answer, but has a desperate need to know. Jacob can sense Embry and Jared listening in the background. They are worried about this vulnerable side of Paul that has never been exposed before. Paul Lahote doesn't care about what women think about him. Only what he can get from them.

Jacob doesn't want to say, but Paul may as well know what he's gotten himself into. _This is a quote: "It isn't as if I'm going to sleep with the guy, so what do I care if he's a slut? I care that he's a user."_

Paul is honestly devastated. Not for the sake of the hearts he has broken, but any future he has with Rachel Black is slipping through his fingers. He has no idea how to stop it. It kills him. The irresistible pull toward a woman he barely knows. The terror of losing her before he even has a chance to figure out what it is. His anger grows and his panic escalates. Jacob tries to calm him down._ Look, she didn't say she won't ever see you again. She was worried about you._

_What do you mean?_

_She gets that it will kill you if she just leaves, if she just abandons you. She understands. My sister isn't a cruel person. She's confused and overwhelmed, and she doesn't like the stuff you've done. But she gets what will happen to you if she just turns you away._

_So what do I do? How do I get her to stay?_

_I don't know if you can get her to stay. As her brother, I don't know if I want you to convince her to stay. But I don't think she's just going to drop you and never see you again._

Paul's thoughts are a jumble. They can see what he wants. He won't articulate any of it. He won't tell them in words how much he wants something he has never wanted before, a life with one woman who loves him completely. Never to look at another girl again. Not to be separated from her for even a minute. But they can all feel it. The gravitational pull of the imprint.

Jared was lucky. He never wanted to fight his imprint, and Kim was happy to have him. If anything, he had the opposite reaction. He felt guilty for never noticing her before. If he had never phased, would he ever have found her? Would she have ever tried to get his attention? Would he have missed the best thing in his life? He has always had the nagging sense in the back of his mind that it has always made her a little sad. That she wishes, to this day, and despite how happy they are with one another, that he had found her before phasing. Before he had no choice but to love her. She has never said any such thing to him. She wants too much to please him, and would not say something that might hurt him. But at the recent bonfire, he saw her looking at Jacob and Bella across the sand with a wistful expression in her eye. He asked her about it, a bit nervously, truth be told. She just smiled and replied that she was happy for Jake and Bella, and said no more. But Jared knows her now. There was a hint of melancholy in her tone, and he knows he is the one who put it there.

He tries to imagine trying to stay away from Kim. Tries to imagine what it would be like if she had rejected him. If she had scoffed at the idea of being with someone who had been so entirely oblivious to her existence for years. Or what if she had had a boyfriend when he imprinted on her? Just the thought of it is crushing.

He tries to keep his thoughts quiet, but doesn't succeed. Which unfortunately prompts Embry to unconsciously drop a thought he had gleaned from Leah's mind. A thought that Jacob had studiously avoided bringing up. Rachel is seeing someone. A guy she met in college. A guy she had every intention of continuing to see once they both moved to Seattle in the fall. A guy she told Leah "might not be marriage material, but who cares? When a guy kisses as well as Trevor does, who cares if he's marriage material?"

Paul howls in rage and despair. The sound is so awful that not only does he unwittingly panic the girls in the Black household, but he draws every other wolf out of their homes, ripping their clothes as they phase, ready to fight off whatever threat has caused their brother such pain.

_Everybody calm down!_ Jacob bellows. It is almost an Alpha order. _There is nothing to fight, not right now. Paul, phase out. Give the rest of us a few minutes. I'm going to update them. I know you need to run right now. Just give me a minute to tell everyone about the Cullens since they're all here anyway. Then you can run it off as a wolf._

Paul is so livid that he is unable to return to human form. He sprints frantically around the woods at a dead run. Short of finding Trevor and ripping him to shreds, he cannot think of a single thing that could relieve the pressure pounding in his chest, threatening to explode. His distress is fully apparent to everyone, and soon all the wolves understand what caused him such pain. He isn't putting anyone at risk, so Jacob lets him work off some of his energy and quickly fills in the rest of the pack on Edward's disappearance, and their new focus on the shoreline and the border between LaPush and Forks. As soon as he has done that, he releases the extraneous wolves back to their homes and their beds.

Paul has just caught sight of the Black household. Rachel and Bella are awake, sitting in the window, peering nervously into the woods. They heard his cry, and are terrified that some kind of battle is raging just beyond their sight. Without thinking, Paul phases back to human form, rapidly throws on his shorts, and barges into the house.

He drops to his knees in front of a shocked Rachel. He can't see anything except her. He doesn't notice Billy frowning at him from the hallway, or Bella standing three feet away staring at him with wide eyes. All he sees is Rachel. He grips her by her hips. She has her hands raised up, palms facing him in a frozen, startled gesture. He looks at her as if he is pleading for his very life, and his voice cracks. "You can't! I can't take it. Don't do this to me!"

She finds her own voice. "Wait, what's going on? What was that? Is Jacob okay?"

Paul wails, "Nothing's okay! Nothing's all right! You can't leave me. You can't go back to him. The thought of another man's hands on you. Another man's lips on yours. Please. Please don't."

Rachel is terrified and confused. "Can't what? What are you talking about? Where is my brother?"

Jacob bursts into the back door. "Everything's okay, Rachel. I'm fine. No one is hurt. He's just freaking out because of the imprint. Paul, let her go. You're scaring her."

Paul realizes Jacob is right, and releases her immediately. She stumbles backward a bit, but doesn't fall. He reaches his hands right back out in an attempt not to let her go down, but is afraid of grabbing her too forcefully, and ends up clutching at nothing.

Jacob knows what to do. He can focus Paul's obsession, at least tonight. "You have a job to do. Protect her. Keep her safe. You take the patrol of our house until morning. You were right; I can't do it 24/7. I need your help. Can you do this tonight?"

Paul rises to his feet. Finally. A purpose. His imprint may not want him, but he will take care of her nonetheless. He will show her he can be worthy of her, and he will start by making sure no leech gets past him.

He walks to the door. A small part of him realizes how much he has embarrassed himself over a woman he barely knows. But he still wants to talk to her, still has the irresistible urge to beg her never to even look at another man, or permanently blind the eyes of any man who looks at her. The thought of it makes him shake with anger as he freezes at the exit. Jacob sees what is going on. He doesn't want to humiliate Paul further. He puts a steadying hand on Paul's shoulder and says, too low for the girls to hear, "Outside, Paul. Don't phase inside."

It is just enough. Paul is out the door just before he phases, shredding his shorts in the process. Jacob quietly shuts the door behind him. He sighs and turns back to his family.

Rachel is visibly upset. "What was that, Jake? What the hell just happened?"

Jacob moves into the living room and draws Bella to the couch, and falls into it heavily, drawing her down beside him. "He found out you're seeing someone. It made him lose it."

"What moron let him know? If it was you, I'll kill you myself, Jacob Black!"

Jacob shakes his head. "It's not like that, Rach. I'm able to filter what the pack can see of my brain pretty well, but that's not true for most of the wolves. Embry saw it in Leah's mind. So it's only a matter of time until everyone knows."

She huffs and drops into the armchair. "So what am I supposed to do? Drop everything and marry the guy? I barely know him!"

Billy rolls into the room. "Just give him a chance, dear. There is a purpose to the imprint. Give it some time to figure out what that is."

She turns to her father. "I'm going to Seattle in a month, dad. I'm willing to skip my vacation to stay here, but nothing I've seen so far makes me think I should drop all my plans and move back here. My program is two years long at best. You're going to have to do better than that; he's going to have to do better than today, to convince me to quit every plan I've ever made."

Billy says calmly, "He's out there, protecting you."

"I don't need protection!"

His voice is sad but strong. "Tonight, you do. Tonight, there is a monster, lying in wait in the dark, looking for an opening to cross our borders." Billy sees Bella's look of terror, and faces her. "I'm sorry, dear, but she needs to know the truth. I will tell her nothing but the truth." He turns back to his daughter. "There are monsters out there. They want to tear this family apart. They want your brother dead. One of them wants to kidnap my best friend's daughter and drain her lifeblood away and turn her into a monster herself, against her will." Jacob wraps his arms protectively around Bella, who is starting to crumple in on herself.

"These monsters are strong. They are cruel, they are malicious, they are powerful, and they are nearly invincible. And there are only a few men who have any chance at stopping them. These men are really just boys. Any plans, any future they wish for themselves, they have set aside for the good of our tribe. For the good of our family. To stand by your brother and follow him into battle." There isn't a sound in the room except Billy's voice. "There are boys outside our home, protecting us from monsters. Patrolling our borders endlessly. Every day. Every night. In the dead of winter. In the sweltering heat of summer. In the driving rain. Outside, no matter what, keeping us safe. Boys who should be growing up, going to college, moving up and moving on, coming home and going away again. But they're here. One of them is standing guard outside your home, right now, who feels it is his only purpose in life to make sure that you are safe. Wrong or right, fair or not, he is bound to you. Good person or bad, he is yours, whether you like it or not. You can be angry at his past, you can be frustrated at his present. But his future is bound to yours. Do not take that lightly."

He lets his words sink in, then rolls back toward the hallway. "I'm not going to tell you that you have to stay here forever. I'm not going to forbid you from living your life. I'm proud of you, Rachel. I am so proud of what you've accomplished, and what you mean to accomplish. You are so smart, my dear, and have so much potential, and I do wish to see you fulfill that potential. But he is bound to you. Think about what that means before you decide what to do." Then Billy goes to his bedroom and quietly shuts the door.

Bella buries her face in Jacob's chest. Billy's words ring true. There are monsters out there, monsters who want to kill her, who would love to rip Jacob limb from limb in order to get to her. Jacob keeps her securely wrapped in his embrace. She listens to the steady beat of his heart.

Finally, Rachel takes a deep breath and addresses Jacob in a hoarse voice. "It's true. They're trying to kill you."

His voice is low. "Not before I can kill them."

"But you could get hurt."

"I could."

Bella's voice cracks. "He already did. He nearly died."

Rachel is stunned. Jacob had not told her this, nor had Billy. She was already too overwhelmed, and there was no reason to scare her. But it is time for the whole truth to come out.

"I thought you were in a bike accident! And I figured it must be minor, since, you know, here you are." Jacob shakes his head. "Tell me!"

So Jacob takes a deep breath, and describes the newborn battle, when one entire side of his body was crushed as he leaped in front of Leah to shield her from the blow. Bella holds him tightly. She has avoided thinking of this, remembering her cruel words to him as he lay broken on his bed. He is as brief as he can be, trying to spare them the awful details. But Bella knows, and Rachel reads between the lines.

There is agony sketched across Rachel's face. "That's what you're doing? That's what Paul is doing? You're going to get yourself killed!"

Jacob replies, his voice calm and low, "I'm hard to kill."

"But you aren't invincible."

He shakes his head, and Rachel buries her head in her hands, while Bella clings more tightly to Jacob. His body, strong and solid and entwined with hers, is the only thing holding her to the earth. There is a question she had been too afraid to ask him, but now she simply needs to know. "Did you see Alice today?" She feels him nod. "Does she know what's going to happen?" Jacob pauses as he tries to figure out what to tell her. "Just tell me, Jacob."

He sighs. "She doesn't know, honey. She saw three different futures, and had no idea which one was going to come true."

Rachel breaks in. "Wait, what does that mean?"

Jacob answers, "One of the vampires can see the future. But it isn't set in stone, apparently. I saw her today, and she saw three possible outcomes."

"Tell me," Bella whispers.

He strokes her hair gently. "Well, we might just get our happy ending, Bells." She can't help but smile against his skin. She needed to know it was a possibility.

"Or?" she prompts.

His voice drops low. "Or you could, without me."

Her heart stutters, and she feels a squeezing pressure in her chest. Behind her, she hears a choked off sob from Rachel. "You are my only happy ending, Jake."

"Don't say that, Bells." He pulls her back so he can look her in the eye, and speaks to her in a harsh voice. "You promise me. You promise me now that you'll take care of yourself. I'm gonna do everything I can to be here with you, honey, but I have to know that you'll take care of yourself if I can't be here to take care of you."

Bella tries to hold back her tears, but they fall anyway. "Don't even think it, Jake. Don't even contemplate the possibility." What would she do without her Jacob, her sun? The love of her life, who has saved her from drowning, saved her from the false promises of an empty existence, saved her from herself.

He threads his hands through her hair and presses his lips to her forehead. "I'm gonna do everything I can to give you the life you deserve, honey. Whatever it takes." And she knows what he means. If he thinks it would save her, he would sacrifice his life for hers without a second thought. She tucks her head under his chin and tries to control her tears, and he holds her.

Rachel whispers quietly, "And the third future?"

Now Jacob starts to shake, and tries hard to stay calm. He didn't want Paul phasing in his house. He can't either. Not with Bella on his lap. "In the third future, Bella gets turned. But honey, Alice said that even if that happens, you stay with me." Now she leans back to look at him with wide eyes, shining with tears.

"What do you mean, Jake?"

"I still don't think you get it, Bella. You're it for me. I want you happy and whole and alive, and I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you that way. But not everything is in my power. And if anything happens to you, if he gets past me and the pack and he turns you, I'm not leaving you. Not ever. I'm yours, and you're mine." He lifts two fingers of hand, and presses them gently against her shirt, first upon the mark on her shoulder, then against the mark on her breast, sending jolts of electricity through her. "That's what these mean. They mean that as long as I'm breathing, I'll follow you anywhere. Do you understand?"

Bella nods, stunned. The depth of Jacob's devotion never ceases to amaze her. He leans in for a gentle kiss, and then brings her back in to wrap his arms around her again, and she settles against his shoulder. She would lead him back to his bedroom and join her body with his, use whatever time they have to bring him pleasure and love, but his sister is still sitting with them, and his father is still awake in his room.

Eventually Rachel clears her throat. "Um, Jake?"

"Hmm?"

"I think I should talk to Paul."

"Just open the door and call out for him. He'll hear you. You don't even have to yell."

Bella hears shuffling behind her, the opening of the back door, and Rachel calling Paul's name tentatively out into the night. The door closes a minute later, and they hear low voices outside. Despite her terror, Bella is curious. "What's going on out there, Jake?"

Jacob actually chuckles. "She's letting him take her out to breakfast. She told him that he can pick the place, and she won't argue."

"Is it a date?"

"I don't think so. She told him she wants to try to be friends." He pauses, listening. "She's thanking him for watching my back. She's thanking him for doing the patrol tonight."

"He's got to be upset about the 'just friends' thing."

"Maybe. But before, when she was talking about going back to Seattle in a month, he heard her. He was still pretty close by. It must have freaked him out. I think after what happened in the cafe, and what happened tonight, he thought it was all over. Before it even started. Now, well, now he has a shot. At least she isn't turning him away again."

They sit still for another minute until Rachel comes back inside, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "I'm gonna turn in, guys. I've had enough for one night. How about you?"

"We'll sleep soon, sis."

"Night, Rachel."

"Night, guys." And she disappears down the hallway.

Jacob keeps Bella in his arms for a while longer, then separates long enough to take a quick shower, claiming that he can still smell leech on himself from his contact with the Cullens earlier in the day. When they make their way to his bedroom, they don't bother to close the door. Paul is still quite close to the house. It takes Rachel a long time to fall asleep in the next room, and Billy lies awake for hours, worrying about his son, his daughter, Bella, and his home. He had heard them, of course, talking about their shared fates. He lies in his own room and stares at the picture of Sarah on his nightstand, and wonders what she would do if she was here right now. She would be proud of Jacob, of that he is sure, but terrified at the danger that he faces. But Billy is alone. His wife is long passed, so he will have all the pride, and do all the worrying, for both of them.

Jacob listens to his father from down the hall. Eventually he hears Rachel's breathing even out. He hears Paul's padding run in loops outside. He lies in his bed and tucks Bella close to him, her head resting in the crook of his shoulder. He strokes her back, up and down, soothing her until she falls asleep. And when she relaxes completely against him, he kisses her hair, and drifts off. As long as she is safe in his arms, he can rest.

X-x-x-x-X  
Tuesday  
X-x-x-x-X

Bella wakes up sprawled over Jacob's still sleeping form. His broad chest makes a wonderful pillow. She listens to his slow, steady heartbeat under her ear. It is precious to her. She has taken it for granted for so long. It wasn't until the newborn battle, when Jacob's mortality finally became clear to her, that she began to understand what he meant to her. She recalls his words from the night before, and can't help but wonder how long she will have him. She will treasure each moment with him. She promises to herself that she will never devalue Jacob or his love again. She now has very conventional desires, desires which she once thought pedestrian and dull, but now that so many forces are trying to combine to ensure they can never be fulfilled, suddenly seem more lovely than anything. A small, intimate wedding on First Beach. A little house with Jacob in it. Dark haired children. Dinners with their fathers. A bunch of rowdy werewolves piling in and out if their home. Maybe not so conventional after all.

She can't help but wonder at Alice's most unusual version: that of herself as a vampire, but with Jacob still at her side. It is a small measure of comfort. It is no longer what she wants, by any means. But it would surely be a better life than a human one without him. And unlike Edward's absurd notion of living a life with her as a mortal, Jacob could keep phasing, and stay with her. She giggles to herself that preserving Jacob's body in its current state of perfection indefinitely warrants consideration.

The movement of her laughter awakens Jacob. "Mmmm. Morning, Bells." His voice is gruff and low with sleep, and she decides it is very sexy. "What a great way to wake up. Wrapped up in you, feeling you laugh. It's officially my second favorite way of waking up."

"Second favorite?"

His chest vibrates with his own laughter, and she starts to feel under her stomach what he's talking about. "Come on, you're a smart girl. You know how I really want to wake up."

She rolls slightly to the side and strokes his rapidly lengthening erection lightly through his boxers. He groans, lowers his hands to her ass, and squeezes lightly. She has just slipped her hand under the elastic band and started to stroke when she hears a door open and close, and realizes his bedroom door is wide open. At the same moment, Jacob lifts her bodily and rearranges her so that she shields his midsection from the door, whispering, "My sister doesn't want to see what you were doing, and she doesn't need a view of my tent either." Bella giggles again.

They hear footsteps that pause before reaching the doorway. Rachel calls out tentatively, "Is it safe to walk by? I'm afraid that if I see something, I'll be blinded for life!"

Bella and Jacob both burst into laughter, and Jacob replies, "Nothing to see here, Rach. We're still asleep."

Rachel appears in the doorway. "You don't sound much like you're asleep. You sound like you're up to no good, as a matter of fact. Like there's some kind of mischief going on in here."

Bella turns her head so she can see Rachel. "Not with the door open!"

Rachel is smiling at them. "Good, just keep that in mind. Wouldn't want you to corrupt my baby brother, Bella."

Jacob whines, "But what if I want to be corrupted? What if I'd really, really like it?"

"Well then, please, please, please don't let me be anywhere nearby for that. I really do think I'll go blind."

Jacob teases her, "I'm sure Paul would be happy to be your seeing eye dog. You can put a leash around his neck and let him lead you around."

She startles. "Oh, crap! When does the nighttime patrol end? He's coming over right after so we can get breakfast."

Jacob glances at the clock. "You have half an hour. But I wouldn't worry about putting your face on, or any girly stuff like that. You could wear a potato sack and shave your head and he would still think you're perfect."

Rachel tilts her head. "Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?"

Jacob shrugs from his position underneath Bella. "Depends on your point of view, I suppose."

Rachel disappears into the bathroom, and Bella asks, "Should I wear a potato sack?"

Jacob wraps his arms around her and replies, "It would probably be scratchy and uncomfortable. But that would just be an excuse to take it off you. So sure. Go ahead and wear a potato sack. But please don't shave your head. I love your hair."

Hee reaches up to run his fingers through it. It actually isn't a complete mess since he didn't ravish her the night before. She contemplates his own shorn hair. "I can't decide if I miss your long hair or not. Depends on my mood. I love running my fingers through your short hair, and I can see your face better this way. But it was so pretty!"

He chuckles. "So I'm not pretty anymore?"

She crawls up his body and hovers above him. "You're gorgeous."

He hugs her tightly with his left arm, and runs his hands through her own thick hair with his right. "And I respond well to flattery." He draws her in for a deep kiss.

She loses herself in the kiss until she hears from the hallway, "My eyes! My eyes!" and Rachel's laughter as she pads away down the hall. They reluctantly separate, and Bella drops her head to his shoulder.

"I suppose I ought to go to work."

"Meh," Jacob replies.

"Screw work?"

He whispers in her ear. "Stay here and screw me instead."

She giggles and stands up. "Tempting, but somebody's gotta bring home the bacon in this relationship."

He sighs but crosses his arms under his head and admits, "I do like bacon." Bella doesn't hear him for several beats because she is staring rather blatantly at the musculature in his arms and bared chest. He notices, and when she finally registers his face again, he looks very smug. She gives an embarrassed cough and looks away. "Sure you don't want to stay here today?" He raises his eyebrows at her suggestively.

She coughs again, and reluctantly opens her suitcase to pull out fresh clothes. "Yeah, um, still gotta go to work."

He hops out of bed and declares, "In that case, now I need some bacon. Want some?" He heads to the kitchen while Bella showers and pulls her hair into a damp ponytail. She leans in the doorway of the kitchen and stares at his broad, muscular back as he stands at the stove, twirling a spatula in his hand. He has toast, butter, and three types of jam spread on the table, as well as hot bacon. She watches him break up some scrambled eggs on the stove. She thinks to herself that Jacob naked and pressed up against her is damn sexy, but Jacob shirtless and cooking for her comes in a close second.

"I think I could get used to this treatment, Jake. Waking up with you every morning, and having you cook me breakfast."

He fixes a plate for her and turns toward her with a broad, sunny grin. "That's the idea, Bells. At the end of this week, you aren't gonna want to go back home to Charlie. We can switch. Billy can go live with Charlie, and you can move in here."

"But you'll get me all fat with your greasy breakfasts, while Billy and Charlie will starve."

He pulls her into her arms and kisses her thoroughly, then breaks away to mumble, "Let 'em starve."

Billy rolls in from the hallway. "Hey, I heard that, you ungrateful wretch!" He has a grin on his face to match Jacob's.

"'Ungrateful wretch'? Are we in the nineteenth century or something?"

"You should feel lucky that you were born in this day and age. I can only imagine trying to feed you if we were still hunter-gatherers and fishermen. It's a good thing we've evolved into purchasers of food from the grocery store."

"Hey! I'd be a great hunter. I'm a natural."

"Granted. But right now you look like you make a better cook. Where's my food, son?" Billy jokingly demands.

"Maybe this hunter-gatherer will feed you twigs and berries, old man!" But he obligingly whips up a yolkless omelet for his father, and a giant one for himself.

Rachel soon emerges, but only stays for a few minutes before Paul knocks on the front door, and she goes to let him in. Bella peeks at him curiously. She expects him to be wearing the pack's usual attire of cutoff shorts and nothing else, but he has on a polo shirt and jeans. Jacob notices as well, but decides against teasing him about it. He is tempted, but after the rough night Paul just had, decides to give him a break.

Paul and Rachel both look uncomfortable standing in the open door. He is staring at her intently, and she obviously doesn't quite know how to respond. So she goes for the easy route, and they leave as quickly as possible, giving the rest of the family a brief wave. "See you later, guys."

Billy sighs and looks at his food. Bella wants to ask him what he thinks about Paul and Rachel, but is a little too shy to ask. Jacob does it for her. "What do you think, dad?"

He looks up thoughtfully. "There's a big part of me, a selfish part, that hopes this brings her home. For good. But it isn't what she wants. Not to mention that I never really envisioned that particular fellow as my son in law. Either way, I do have to believe that it's for a reason."

Jacob contributes, "It helped him focus last night, that is, after he flipped his lid. I actually felt bad for the guy when Embry let it slip that she's seeing somebody." Bella knows what he is actually thinking. It was only a week ago that Jacob thought she was marrying another man. He can't help but sympathize with Paul. Jacob continues, "He's strong and he's aggressive. He's great at direct combat. But his temper gets the best of him, and so he's not good at strategy, and isn't really all that cunning. Rachel could center him."

Bella asks, "Do you think they have to be together for that to happen?"

He shrugs. "Not sure. Quil doesn't get to see Claire every day and still does okay, but Paul wants more from Rachel already. Which also pisses him off in and of itself, since I think he would rather not feel that way at all."

"Well, hopefully she takes it easy on him," Bella muses.

Jacob smiles at her sadly. "Girls don't realize the power they have over us."

It makes her want to throw her arms around him, kiss him breathless, and promise never to take his love for granted ever again, but Billy is sitting right next to them. So she settles for squeezing his hand, and notices Billy smiling at their joined hands out of the corner of her eye. She has a feeling that while he never expected to have Paul as an in law, he did hope to have her.

Jacob drives her to work in her pickup, left hand on the steering wheel, right arm draped around her shoulders. After he parks the car, he draws her in for a deep kiss. She loses herself in his full lips and talented tongue until she hears a cough outside the cab, and realizes they have an audience. Mike is hurrying by, trying not to blatantly stare, and failing. Jacob whispers, "He's not very stealthy." Bella giggles, then sighs, and opens the cab door.

"Come by for my lunch hour?"

"Just try to keep me away. I'll be close all day, okay?"

The morning passes by in its usual dull fashion. She sees Jacob walk past the window from time to time. He brought his assigned summer reading list for the upcoming school year, and at one point came out of a bookstore with the list sticking out of his back pocket and a slim volume in his hand. He sets it down on the table when they go to a pizzeria for lunch, after he orders an extra large pie. She flips it over to look at the cover. "The Art of War?"

He nods as he takes a long drag of his soda. She knows that he will have already refilled the large glass twice before the pizza arrives. "It's for my world history class. It's really interesting. It's an ancient military treatise. It would probably be very helpful if only I was fighting something rational."

"What do you mean?" She is curious about this analytical side of Jacob. His worlds are colliding, between the normal, teenaged activity of history homework, and the absurd reality that he is a general fighting a war.

"Well, the premise is that you're fighting something understandable. That the other side wants power, or natural resources, or wealth. That the battle, the creation of the other army, isn't just to create chaos, or revenge just one person, or just for sport, or just to win just one woman." He stops and looks sheepish. "Although you're worth fighting a whole army for, Bells."

She smiles sadly at him. "I'd much rather no one have to do any fighting at all. But tell me more about the book." So she listens to him discuss strategy and theory, and where it applies to his own battles and where it does not. He lowers his voice and tells her more details about his fights with the vampires he encountered while he was away, and she is again amazed at the man that Jacob is rapidly becoming. But then the pizza arrives, and he struggles with stringy, melting cheese that he somehow can't seem to bite through, so he tries to stuff the whole slice in his mouth, and suddenly Jacob is sixteen after all. They are in the middle of a vicious swordfight using two long breadsticks when he freezes and his face grows hard. He drops his food and wipes his hands and sits stiffly, staring at the door. Seconds later, Alice enters. Her face looks drawn and tired, and she slides into Bella's side of the booth. Bella's heart stutters in her chest.

Jacob speaks first. "You have news. Just get right to it."

Alice nods and takes Bella's left hand in her own. Bella tries not to flinch, but she is no longer used to the chill. "The Volturi have decided when they're coming. It will be on the day you were supposed to get married, Bella." Her head snaps up. It is only a month away.

"That can't be a coincidence, Alice," she whispers.

Alice shakes her head. "I know it isn't."

Jacob growls. "How?"

"Because of who will be coming. That also can't be a coincidence."

"Just spit it out!" Jacob reaches over the table to take Bella's other hand, squeezing it tightly.

"Only a few select members of the guard. Jane, Felix, and Chelsea. Jane and Felix you remember. Jane's power does not work against you, Bella, her power to inflict pain, but she hates you. Felix, as you recall, is simply brute strength, and is coming to guard the other two. The important player here is Chelsea. She is the reason that the Volturi are able to surround themselves with other vampires of such power. She can strengthen the bonds between two people, or break them apart."

And Bella understands. "Edward. He is bringing them here."

Alice nods again. "Yes. He is bringing Chelsea to try to break the bond between you and Jacob."


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: This story has been nominated for a Jacob Black N Pack Award. Thanks to whomever sent in the nomination. There are some awesome stories over there at jacobblack - n - pack . blogspot . com

X-x-x-x-X  
Tuesday  
X-x-x-x-X

Bella crumples a bit at Alice's pronouncement. Alice scoots out of the booth to let her out, and she slides into Jacob's side and he pulls her into his comforting embrace. "It can't be done," Jacob says calmly. "The only people with the power to destroy what we have are myself and Bella. Edward can try to kill me, but other than that, he can't make me stop loving her."

And Bella realizes that he's right. Jacob holds no spell over her, no false temptations or empty promises. Just shared history, friendship, and honest love. She can't imagine how a vampire's power could undo what Jacob has painstakingly built.

Alice shakes her head. "Edward doesn't believe it's real, so he thinks he can succeed. He also wants to bind you to him permanently, Bella." Bella feels dizzy.

Jacob summarizes, "So he's going to try to take her, then have this other leech supposedly break the spell I have over her, have them cast a different spell on her, then turn her and live happily undead ever after?"

"That's the plan, as best I can tell. There is still an awful lot I can't see due to your presence, though." Alice looks thoroughly irritated by this last point.

"Why only three? It's gonna take more than the four of them together, even if they're all so powerful, to get past the entire pack."

Alice frowns in frustration. "It's one of the things I can't see. It's driving me crazy. Maybe he thinks he can just get Chelsea close enough, and then Bella will just walk away from you? I don't know."

"Well, thanks for the heads-up anyway." It pains Jacob to thank her, but even he has to acknowledge that she is being helpful, and gets no sense that she is trying to mislead them. He had always gotten bad feelings from Edward, and they weren't all just jealousy. The one with the scarred face always made him uneasy, and the blonde bitchy one always radiated hostility. But this one, nervous and twitchy as she is, doesn't sound like a liar, and the doctor has tried to keep true to his word, and had done a good job of it until Edward spiraled out of control.

Bella has a question, and thinks she knows the answer. "Why do you think they agreed? Why do you think they are willing to help him?"

"I can't be sure, but I think he must have promised himself to them." She explains to Jacob, "The Volturi have wanted me and Edward to join them for years. They think Bella would make a very powerful vampire too, since even as a human she is immune to some of our powers. If she is turned, imagine that power amplified by a hundredfold. It makes her very valuable, and is probably the reason that none of the outcomes I see ends in true death."

Jacob grits his teeth. "So in exchange for their help, he will join them. And force Bella to join them too."

"If it's any consolation, it won't work. The same three futures I saw yesterday haven't changed. There is still no possible outcome that ends with you and Edward joining the Volturi together."

Bella isn't sure if she should feel relieved. She might still be turned, or worse yet, Jacob might not survive. But it reassures Jacob. "Think we can just call him up and let him know?" he says dryly, and Alice shakes her head with a rueful smile. "Yeah, it couldn't be that simple."

Alice stands to go. "I'll let you know if I see anything else." Bella moves to hug her, and thanks her for watching out for them. She turns toward the door, but Jacob has one more question.

"I appreciate the warning. But I have to know. I don't see how we can avoid a fight. On what side will you be standing?"

Alice freezes, and slowly moves to face them again. She can't quite meet them in the eye. "We don't agree with what he is doing at all. We won't help him, we promise. And Jasper is happy to keep Edward calm, try to keep him from doing anything stupid."

"Too late," Jacob growls.

Alice kneels in front of Bella. "I wanted you as my sister. You know that. But not like this. Not if it isn't what you want too. None of us are going to help him with this plan of his, I promise you that. But..."

Bella fills in the rest of the sentence. "But he's your brother, and you can't knowingly hurt him. Can't stand against him and fight."

Alice looks ashamed, but nods her head as she looks at the floor. "He was always my closest brother, Bella. And he is Carlisle's eldest son. They were together even before Esme, and he is also Esme's favorite son. Or was." She looks straight into Bella's eyes. "I promise you, Bella. I will tell you anything I know. And we will do anything we can to prevent him from taking you."

"Except hurt him yourselves," Jacob says quietly. He expects nothing different.

Alice nods, and leaves through the front door.

Bella slumps and Jacob wraps her in a tight hug, whispering into her hair, "I wouldn't trust them standing next to me in a fight anyway. But what she said earlier? That he can't break what we have? You see, Bells? No crazy vampire magic can destroy us. You just mean too much to me."

"I love you, Jake," she murmurs into his neck. She doesn't say it often enough. And really, the phrase is inadequate to encompass what she feels for him. The words are overused and underwrought. She herself had said the words without knowing how much more they might mean, both to Edward and to Jacob himself. But he knows what she means. He knows her heart and he knows her mind, and he is content, for she finally returns his feelings fully and without reservation. So he squeezes her tighter, and feels her sigh against his skin.

"Oh, Bells, I love you too." His voice is soft and deep and makes her shiver.

And then the moment is broken, the tension relieved, when his stomach grumbles loudly. "Psst," he hisses.

"What?" she whispers back.

"There's a crime being committed in this restaurant," he whispers back.

"There is?" she keeps her voice low.

"There's a starving boy being forced to stare at perfectly good food without being allowed to eat it," he keeps whispering.

Jacob always knows how to make her feel better. "Are you the starving boy?"

"Yes. Are we still too sad to eat?"

She pulls back and looks at him. There is no way to stay upset when her best friend is holding her so tightly and making her smile. "No. I might even have a second slice. And you can have your fourth."

"Oh. How about my fifth, sixth, and seventh?"

Her smile turns into a grin. "Those too."

He plants a messy kiss on her lips, turning her grin into a laugh, and finishes their pizza.

X-x-x-x-X

The rest of the day passes uneventfully. Jacob and Bella return to the Black home with fresh groceries in hand, and find Rachel sitting on the couch with a paperback in hand.

"Good read?" Bella asks.

Rachel sighs and puts it down. "No idea. I think I've read this page six times, and I still have no clue what's going on in this chapter. I can't concentrate."

"How'd breakfast go?" Jacob asks as they head to the kitchen.

"Better than lunch yesterday. Although it could hardly have been worse. He took me to a diner fully staffed by elderly women." She trails in after them and helps them put things away in their proper places. "And he told me I should go to Seattle."

Jacob almost drops the can in his hand. "He did?"

Rachel nods. "He said it isn't safe here. He said he thought about it while he was on patrol last night. Said that right now, LaPush is the most dangerous place he can think of, so no matter what's going on between the two of us, or isn't, he wants me in a safer place."

"Wow," Bella breathes. "That's awfully big of him. Isn't it going to hurt him if you go?"

Rachel nods. "He said it would, yes. But he also said he would be happy to put up with the pain of separation if it meant he could worry about me less."

"What do you think?" Jacob asks.

"I think I'm going to go, just like I planned." Jacob can't decide if he is happy or sad about that, and realizes he is both. "And I'm going to come back here and visit more. I can get back once or twice a month." Jacob smiles at that. "And he'll come visit me. I told him I might be able to convince his boss to give him some weekends off. I have all kinds of dirt on the guy." Jacob bursts into surprised laughter.

"I don't know. I think I have some blackmail material on you too!"

"But you're still gonna let him come," she smiles.

Jacob feigns reluctance. "Yeah, fine, I suppose."

"I hate to be a drag, but what about Trevor?" Bella asks tentatively.

Rachel sighs. "We didn't get that far. I think we were both afraid to bring it up, so we both just chickened out." She pauses. "Which actually worked out well. Maybe we should avoiding talking about his girls and my guys, and our conversations will have less drama."

Jacob contributes, "That's not going to last for long."

"Well, maybe by the time it comes up again, I'll know him a little better, and have some way to make a decision."

"Sounds fair to me," Jacob replies. "I hate to just run off and leave you guys with all the work, but I have to update the pack on the latest news. I'm on my way to Sam's, but hopefully will get back before too long."

Rachel winces. "Why do I get the feeling that you're not giving them good news?"

"I'll fill you in," Bella adds, "if you don't mind hanging out while I cook."

Jacob picks her up and kisses her until Rachel clears her throat, and then he says a quiet goodbye against her lips, sets her down, and jogs out the back door.

Rachel muses after him, "I knew he had a crush on you since, well, ever, but it honestly hadn't occurred to me that you'd ever crush back. Because of the age difference, if for no other reason. Just never occurred to me that he was going to grow up."

"Growing up happened all of a sudden, in two big spurts, I think. First, your mother's death, then all this insanity. He had things figured out way before I did, that's for sure. If it weren't for your brother, well, who knows where I'd be."

Rachel glances at her askance. She is so curious, but doesn't know what is safe to ask. At the very least, she knows Bella was engaged to one of the vampires not two weeks ago. She prompts, "Well, you had a plan, I think?"

"A bad one, but yes. I did. And I was pretty committed to it."

"Do you mind? I'm just still so confused over the entire thing."

Bella shakes her head, hands Rachel green beans to snap, and launches into her story. It is actually nice to be able to talk openly with someone, and she finds that Rachel doesn't judge her as she was originally afraid. She has friends, certainly, but they are all either mortal enemies with one another, or humans who aren't in on the secret. Rachel is still too new at this to have any genuine malice against the vampires. She tells Rachel of Edward saving her not once, not twice, but three times, and Rachel nods and says, "So he was your knight in shining armor." And she realizes that yes, that is exactly how she came to view Edward Cullen. She tells her of the flattery of being the only girl in school able to attract his attention. Rachel simply responds, "Mmm. The flattery is a hard to resist, isn't it?" And when she talks about being his singer, and how he watched her at night, Rachel responds, "There's a fine line between obsession and love, isn't there? I'm figuring that out myself right about now." Rachel muses, "He sounds a bit like Paul."

"Oh, that's different," Bella responds.

Rachel shrugs. "All I know is, the more I hear about all this stuff, the more I want to take it slow. We're going to get to know each other. I'm going to make an honest effort to be his friend, and then we'll go from there."

Bella says quietly, "I never was friends with Edward."

Rachel smiles. "But you were friends with Jacob first, and see how that's turning out?"

Bella smiles back at her. "You're right. Get to know Paul before you do anything else. And you know how I told you about Edward saving me?"

"Yeah?"

"Jacob did too. From a vampire named Laurent, from Paul, of all people, from drowning in the Pacific, and mostly, from my own bad judgement."

Rachel looks up at her with a little frown. "How come you need so much saving, Bella?"

"See! That's one of the reasons I wanted to become a vampire! I wouldn't need saving all the time!"

"So what changed your mind?"

"Your brother. He showed me that the price was too high. He showed me exactly what I was going to walk away from. I just hope I can stay this way now." And she quietly explains that Alice foresaw that she might still get turned. She tells her as simply as she is able who is coming for her, and what they can do. "So Paul was right. You really should get out of here, at least for now."

"You're not kidding. That makes me want to pack up dad and Jake, too, and drag them off with me."

"If only it were so simple," Bella sighs. "You know, I asked Jake to run away with me once."

"What happened?"

"It was after he phased, but before I figured out what was going on. I thought maybe we could run away from our problems. He said it wasn't something he could run away from. I still kind of wish we had, though. Just the two of us, no Edward, no vampires, no Volturi, no pack, no responsibilities. I'd have figured out what he meant to me a heck of a lot sooner. I can't tell you how much I wish I'd figured it out sooner, Rachel. I've wasted so much time." She knows there is no point in going down this road, but she can't help but wonder if her happy days with Jacob are about to come to an end.

"Jacob doesn't seem to think so. You make him so happy. And just look at him now, Bella. The man he has become. As much as I want my baby brother safe, this is who he's supposed to be. I can see it in the way he walks. Hear it in his words." Rachel's eyes shine as she speaks. "We grew up hearing my dad tell us those stories about the protectors. About the great chiefs defending the tribe. The tales they tell around the fire, Bella, those stories are going to be about Jake. I'd rather he was just the same, happy kid I remember. But he was bound to grow up. And look at who he's growing into!"

And Bella realizes that she is just as proud of Jacob as Rachel is. She's right. This is the person Jacob was destined to be. "I guess I should just remember how lucky I am that he is choosing to be with me."

Rachel laughs suddenly. "Well, from what you've told me, you don't seem to have much luck. So you'd better take it where you can get it." And Bella laughs with her, so by the time Charlie arrives to join them for dinner, the mood is light again.

X-x-x-x-X

When Jacob arrives at Sam's house, almost all the food is gone. Emily greets him with a warm hug and a large blueberry muffin. "I made sure to save one for you."

"Thanks, Em. It smells great."

She squeezes his arm and whispers, "No, Jake. Thank you. Ever since you took over, Sam has been so relaxed."

"Even considering what's been going on?" Jacob is genuinely surprised.

She nods. "Even so. So thanks."

He smiles at her. "You're welcome, Em. Hopefully it stays that way."

He eats the muffin in two large bites, and heads inside. "The old ball and chain let you out of the house, huh?" Embry calls out from the kitchen.

Quil adds, "We don't call her that for the traditional reason. It's because she wants you to chain her to your..." His sentence ends abruptly when Jacob smacks him upside the head.

"Shut it before I assign you every night patrol for a month, Ateara!" But Jacob is smiling as he says it.

So Embry continues teasing Jacob. "No, I want to know what the next word was."

"Stove," Jared contributes.

"Shower rod," jokes Leah.

"Carburetor," Seth says, absurdly.

"Well, we all know that Bella took Jake's V-Card in his garage, so that actually makes some sense," Quil laughs until Jacob smacks him harder.

"You're just jealous," Jacob says. He notices Paul being conspicuously quiet in the corner. Normally he would have made some biting, sarcastic crack by now. Maybe Rachel really will settle him down.

"Damn straight, I am! She's hot, she thinks you're the best thing since sliced bread, for some reason, she can cook, she thinks you're funny, and she's apparently totally kinky in the sack."

Now Jacob has had enough. "Quil," he says in a warning tone, and Quil quickly sits back in his chair and closes his mouth.

Sam frowns from his spot leaning in the door to the kitchen. "Hey, how come that never worked when I did it? We all know I'm perfectly capable of kicking your ass."

Embry answers, "Because you never trapped him outside naked in front of your neighbors before!" And he retells the story to a howling audience.

"Okay, okay, enough. We've got real business to attend to. The psychic leech had another vision. We're getting some visitors in a little under a month. On the Saturday Bella was supposed to get married. You will remember that a couple representatives from the ruling group of vampires in Italy came after the fight with the newborns to clean up the mess. They will be coming again, along with one other."

Leah pipes up, "Just three?"

"Plus Edward, I have to assume. We think he summoned them."

"They think they'll take us with just four vamps? Or are the other Cullens joining them?" Embry asks.

Jacob shakes his head. "Not as far as I can tell, although we should prepare for the possibility. Which would also mean that everything I was told is a lie. So keep your guard up. But I have to believe they aren't looking for a fight. If that was the case, there would be more coming, and I doubt we would have gotten any warning at all. I think Edward just wants Bella. And probably to kill me, but not bother with everyone else."

"How exactly does he plan on that?" Jared asks.

"That's what I don't know. I'm obviously missing something. There is a lot the psychic can't see."

"Some psychic," Paul scoffs from his spot in the corner.

"The first leech is the little one who can cause pain with her mind. It doesn't work on Bella. Who knows if it works on us, although we should assume it does. Luckily, she can only get one person at a time. The second is just a big guy, pure muscle. The third bloodsucker is the one Cullen is placing his money on. She has the power to break up bonds between people, or form them. The doctor told me before that the reason Edward hadn't turned Bella against her will was that he thought that if she still had feelings for me when she turned, she would still have them after. So he wants this other vamp to come end anything she feels for me so he can turn her and keep her forever. The psychic leech thought maybe he is just going to try to get the vampire close, maybe not even fight at all beforehand, and hope Bella just walks away from me."

Sam asks a question. "Her power to break bonds, could it work on us? Make us turn on each other? Maybe that's why they're not bringing much muscle. Just set us against each other and sit back and watch us destroy ourselves."

"No way to know. I kind of doubt it, though. I said to the psychic that it wouldn't be possible for her to break up Bella and me, and she actually agreed. She said that even if they manage to turn Bella into a vamp, she still picks me." The assembled group is stunned by this statement. The thought is truly absurd-their Alpha mated to a bloodsucker? He sees the disgust written on their faces. "Yeah, my feelings exactly."

Leah remarks sarcastically, "Although that would be some 'fuck-you' to Edward. He goes through all this trouble to turn Bella, makes her a bloodsucker like him, and she still dumps him for you? I almost want it to happen just for that."

Jacob breaks in, "Let's try to keep everyone completely alive, shall we? Anyhow, I don't know if he will wait for his backup to get here in August, but we should prepare as if he could come to snatch her at any time." He then reviews the revised patrol route and schedule, and asks for any questions.

Paul quietly asks from his corner, "Permission to turn Edward Cullen into a pile of ash on sight?"

Jacob smiles darkly, and answers the unspoken question. "Yes, Paul, I do regret just taking his hand and not his entire head off. And yes, kill the bastard on sight."

As the meeting breaks up, Jacob catches Paul on his way out the door. They are walking in the same general direction. "Hey, thanks for watching the house last night."

"Thanks for giving me the detail," Paul replies. Jacob has left Paul on the patrol of the Black home at nighttime until further notice, or at least while Rachel is still at home.

"You won't let anything get past, I know, which means I'll actually get some rest. We all appreciate it. And I heard you told Rachel to go back to Seattle."

Paul stiffens, but answers, "Yeah. Seems like the safer thing to do."

"It was the right move, on every level. She will be safer, for one. Plus, she deserves to go to school the way she had planned. And she trusts you more since you're giving her space."

Paul lets out a nearly inaudible sigh. "I guess that's something."

"A big thing, actually. How long do you think you can go without seeing her?"

"No idea. Guess we'll find out. Emily blew Sam off for a while, and he survived. Quil gets to see Claire, what, once a week during the school year?"

Jacob nods. "Between you going there and her coming here, we should be able to swing every weekend."

Paul looks relieved. "Think she'll let me see her that often?"

"Yeah, if you can keep it in your pants," Jacob laughs.

Paul frowns. "Well, she certainly isn't letting me anywhere near her, and the thought of being with any other chick is frankly repellent. Like, way worse than what Sam went through with Leah."

"Well, Sam actually loved Leah. You just have a bevy of easy chicks you rotate between."

"Not anymore," he grumbles.

"Good, I guess. Do you miss it?"

"What, the easy chicks?" Paul sounds surprised.

"Yeah." Jacob normally couldn't care at all about Paul's sex life, but this is his sister's imprint. He isn't going to let Paul break his sister's heart.

"Well, no, not exactly. Although I'd feel better waiting for Rachel if I had any indication that she might want something other than being friends. What am I supposed to do with a female friend?" He sounds utterly perplexed.

Jacob laughs. "They're girls, not aliens, man!"

"Like you have any clue, Black. You pretended to be Bella's friend forever, and the whole time you wanted to get in her pants."

Jacob laughs again. "They're not mutually exclusive, man. I was friends with her, and I was madly in love with her, and I wanted to get into her pants. Even when she wasn't my girl, I still got to see her all the time, and hold her hand, and hug her, and make her laugh."

Paul furrows his brow. "Yeah, I don't think all the holding hands and hugging stuff goes along with a purely platonic friendship. Did you do that with all your other female friends?"

"Well, no," Jacob admits.

"Right. So you weren't ever just her friend. Not since she moved back from down South, anyway. There was nothing 'just friends' about it."

"You're not exactly 'just friends' with Rachel either," Jacob points out. "Anyway, it worked out, right? My girl is my best friend, while your imprint, not to mention half the girls on the rez, thinks you're a giant douche."

Paul has no comeback for this because it's true. "So what am I supposed to do? Just sit back and pretend that I don't want, like, everything from her? Watch her date other guys and not strangle each and every one of them with my bare hands?"

Jacob cocks a brow at him. "Look at it this way. The current plan is that you're going to go to Seattle every weekend, or she's coming here, right?"

Paul looks up. "Yeah, so?"

"So during half the available date nights per month, she'll be in LaPush. Right? And the other half, you'll be visiting her. When exactly do you think she'll be seeing all these other guys?"

"During the week, moron."

"Yeah, and every time one of them suggests a date on the weekend, she's going to say, 'No, my friend Paul is coming to town. I'm busy.' If you were one of those other guys, what exactly would you think?"

"That I'm seeing her too."

"Right, or that you're her gay best friend." Paul punches Jacob in the arm while Jacob laughs. "Hey, you don't have to let them think that!"

"Yeah, okay, fine. So she probably isn't going to get serious with someone who isn't me."

Jacob sighs. "Look, as her brother, if someone comes along who really makes her happy and suits her better than you, I'm not gonna lie. I'm gonna root for the other guy."

"Asshole," Paul mutters, but there is no malice in his tone. "Anyway, it tears me up just as much that she might not be serious about the other guys, if you know what I mean."

"Oh, ew!" Jacob grimaces, then grins. "Well then, as your Alpha and her brother, you have my full endorsement to cockblock my sister from random hookups, okay?"

"Consider it done." He pauses. "You know, you're lucky, Jacob."

"I agree, but what makes you say that?"

"Bella's genuinely crazy about you. Even if this works out, even if she decides I'm worth her trouble, I'm always going to wonder. I'm going to know that she's with me just because of the imprint. I'm going to know she would never have looked my way if she wasn't obligated to."

"She'll probably feel the same way. It's one of the thousand things that piss me off about imprinting."

"Oh, well, that's not true. I would definitely have noticed her."

"Why do you think so?"

"She's fucking hot, man. I would have noticed her. But she wouldn't have given me the time of day."

Jacob laughs, "I won't argue the latter point, and I don't even want to think about the former."

"Yeah, okay, but it's true. I can see it with or without the imprint. She's absolutely gorgeous. Always was."

"So you already noticed her?" Jacob is a little surprised, but probably shouldn't be.

"Well, it's a small reservation. Everybody knows everybody else. And a girl who looks like that? How could I not have noticed?"

"I hate to give you advice on how to mack on my sister, but you should probably tell her that. When she's ready to hear it, that is. It'll make this seem less sudden. Less out of the blue. Bella loves it when I tell her how long I've had a thing for her. Now she does, anyway. Before it would have just made her uncomfortable. Timing is important, I guess is what I'm trying to say. Badly." Jacob feels very awkward having this conversation with Paul Lahote. Or anyone else who might be male.

"Well, you've been pathetic over her for years."

"Longer. I've been pathetic for her for, oh, every single one of my years. And I'm not ashamed to admit it."

"Now that she's sleeping with you," Paul snickers.

Jacob rolls his eyes. "It's not about the sex."

Paul actually glares a bit a Jacob. "It's at least partially about the sex."

"You said it yourself, I was pathetic over her forever. Way before the sex."

Paul doesn't believe him for a second. "Dude, I heard the two of you. You've done an impressive job of not thinking about it while you're phased, which is bizare considering how much you thought about doing her before she actually gave you any, but I heard you. It sounded totally fucking ridiculous. And I mean that in the best possible way."

Jacob calmly repeats to Paul what he said to Quil earlier. "You're just jealous."

"Hell yes, I am. And that was your first time? Unreal. That leech ex of hers apparently taught her some kinky shit." This time, when Jacob hits his arm, he nearly breaks it. "Fuck, ow!"

"It was her first time too. No one else ever touched her before, and no one else is gonna touch her ever again but me," Jacob growls.

"You're kidding!" Paul is genuinely surprised.

"Think about it. If the leech had ever... had sex with her," Jacob actually shudders at the thought and can barely say the words, "do you think she'd still be walking around as a human to tell the tale?"

Paul rubs at his injured arm. "Oh, I guess that's probably true. I just figured, you know, they were engaged and all. Huh. I try to avoid virgins since they don't know what they're doing, but that apparently isn't a problem for you, since she'll apparently just follow your instructions." He jumps out of the way when Jacob moves to hit him again. "Okay, okay, chill! If you break my arm I won't patrol tonight!"

"I never thought I'd say this to you, but you're worse than Quil!" Jacob has to laugh. "Enough talking about my sex life. The only person I want to talk about with sex is Bella, and you don't look anything like her. Let's talk about your sex life, seeing as you're not gonna have one for the foreseeable future. I'm much more comfortable with that. You gonna take Rachel out again?"

"I think we'll keep doing breakfast when I finish patrol."

They approach Jacob's house. Paul looks at it rather wistfully, and Jacob asks him if he wants to come in. "Yeah. Of course I do. But I'm trying not to smother her, and she agreed to see me in the morning already. Plus, I have to get used to seeing her only once a week starting awfully soon. See you." And Paul is off before Jacob can decide if he should insist on Paul coming inside.

Jacob enters the house, and everyone is already there. Charlie Swan is looking at Billy's bottle of Rainier's the way Paul looked at the house, and Jacob nearly laughs out loud at the sight. "I sort of hate night shifts already, and the lack of a beer with my dinner just adds insult to injury."

"What's so bad about nights?"

"The schedule, for one. Not busy enough to keep you occupied, too busy to get sleep. All this time on your hands, but difficult to get anything done. Like, we still have this open homicide on the books, right? Frank, you remember? Well, I can't talk other agencies at midnight about what they've figured out, or go talk to potential witnesses."

Jacob is surprised. "You have a witness?"

"Maybe, maybe not. There's a ranger report about some hikers reporting the van abandoned at the side of the road. Report got misplaced and just turned up. It must have been conspicuous, you know? Delivery truck in the middle of nowhere with no delivery guy. Trouble is, nobody can find the hikers to get more details from them."

Damn. That can't be good. "Well, they're hikers, right? Probably not even from around there, and could easily be on the road. No surprise they can't be found."

Charlie shakes his head. "No, they were just weekend warrior types. Married couple. Left good contact info for the report, and lived pretty local to the park, actually. Local PD says they aren't responding to phone calls and don't seem to be home. I want to go to their workplaces and do more digging, but, you know, night shift. I've delegated some of it to the deputies, but there's something nagging me about this case. I would really like to follow it up myself."

Maybe they're just gone on vacation. Maybe they just forgot to pay their phone bill. Maybe they're deliberately avoiding the police. Probably they were murdered by the rogue newborn. Jacob heaves a sigh. "I'm sorry, Charlie." Not for the first time, he wishes he could tell Charlie Swan what is going on. He was sorely tempted to do so when he thought Bella was going to leave and turn herself. She has finally come to her senses, but there is still a chance she might have to leave Charlie forever, this time against her will.

Charlie claps him on the shoulder, "No need to worry yourself over it, son." Jacob smiles at just how wrong Charlie is. "Hungry? The girls made a great meal for us tonight." He lower his voice and says quietly, "Can I say how happy I am that she isn't marrying that guy? I don't know what it is about him, but he always rubbed me the wrong way. Even before he just took off to California and left her in the woods. Who dumps a girl in the middle of the forest, anyway?" Then he chuckles and says, "Maybe it was just that he was going to take away my chef, and I never saw him eat a single thing she made. Isn't that weird? How come you eat enough for three people, and I never saw him eat a damn thing?" Charlie narrows his eyes at Jacob, and suddenly Jacob wonders if Charlie is as in the dark as he sometimes seems to be.

But Rachel calls out from the kitchen, they head in to eat, and the mood turns jovial and bright until nightfall.

X-x-x-x-X

The rest of the week passes without further incident. Jacob continues covering Bella's daytime patrol, giving him an excuse to drive her to and from work and eat lunch with her before returning to his house to make dinner together. Charlie joins them before his night shift starts, and Bella relaxes into the routine of her newfound family life. Rachel's apartment is not yet available in Seattle, so she stays in LaPush longer and keeps going to breakfast with Paul. Little by little, the awkwardness of their relationship fades. By the time the weekend comes, Rachel actually thinks of their relationship as a friendship, albeit a friendship fraught with strange sexual tension.

Jacob and Bella spend blissful nights trying to stay quiet as they make love in his bedroom, or out in his garage. They fulfill one of Jacob's longstanding fantasies when he bends her over the seat of his motorcycle, and another afternoon when they are miraculously alone in the house, he takes her in his bed. They discover that sex in the shower is quite slippery and therefore much more difficult than either had imagined, so they settle for propping her up on the countertop, which turns out to be a very convenient height for Jacob. When they christen the back seat of the rabbit, they realize that Jacob hardly fits back there alone, let alone with Bella squirming on top of him. But when he lays her lengthwise along the seat and leaves his feet planted on the floor of the garage, leaning in through the open back door, he has perfect leverage for driving deep inside her. All in all, Bella doesn't get very much sleep, and Mike notices how tired she is at work. Mrs. Newton secretly wonders again if she is pregnant, but this time by her new boyfriend rather than by her ex-fiance.

It is almost good enough to make them forget all the danger hanging over their heads.

But a week later, the danger comes crashing down.


	32. Chapter 32

Rating: MA for violence

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Anyone who got totally confused reading this story when Ch 2 and Ch 10 looked exactly the same; this has now been fixed. Ch 2 has been correctly uploaded into its correct spot. Sorry!

X-x-x-x-X  
Wednesday, one week later  
X-x-x-x-X

Charlie's week of night shifts is over, ending both the restrictions on his own ability to participate in daytime investigations, as well as Bella's sojourn in the Black household. She starts to think of that lovely week as some kind of vacation from her normal life. But Jacob tells her that no, it was a preview of their lives to come, and she starts to have saccharine daydreams about the house she hopes to inhabit with him someday. And she has less innocent fantasies about christening rooms in their imaginary house. She simultaneously worries about having any kind of human future, and realizes more and more that she wants one. Badly. She tells herself that at the very least, this experience has taught her to value what she has.

Charlie notices the difference, and rightfully attributes it to Jacob. In his own mind, he alternately thanks Jacob for making his daughter so happy and for centering her, while he simultaneously worries more than ever about leaving the two of them alone. As odd and uncomfortable as Edward Cullen seemed to be, he never particularly worried that Cullen was going to get his daughter pregnant. He is perfectly aware that almost everyone in town thought that Bella was marrying her fiance due to a teenage pregnancy. But Bella, unprompted, had reassured him that she was not, and he could read the truth in her expression. Edward Cullen is far too deliberate and careful to end up making such a mistake, even if Bella is not.

The contrast is striking. He never trusted Cullen, never really liked him, and never believed he had Bella's best interests in mind, particularly after he left her so abruptly in the woods. Despite his overly polite demeanor, there was always something predatory and overly possessive in his attitude toward Bella. Over the past year, Charlie had become increasingly hopeful that his son's best friend would be able to distract her out of her depression and out of her own obsession over her absent boyfriend. And as Jacob and Bella became closer, he was quite happy about the change. Still is, in fact. But as their relationship progresses, he also can't help but notice the way the teenagers can't keep their hands off each other. Which is odd, considering the fact that whenever he finds them alone in a room, they are feet apart from each other, often facing in different directions. Conspicuously separated. Billy thinks it's hilarious, but it isn't his child who could end up pregnant.

Although, that being said, Charlie has known Jacob for his entire life. And Jacob is as likely to abandon Bella to single motherhood as he is to develop a sudden aversion to food. No, Jacob's problem is the opposite. Jacob's love for his daughter borders on the unhealthy. Healthy for Bella, but unhealthy for Jacob. Up until the past couple weeks, Charlie had just about given up on his daughter. Her treatment of her best friend had been embarrassingly poor. He called her on it as much as he was comfortable, which wasn't saying very much. Having been absent for the vast majority of her childhood, he didn't feel he had much right to start parenting now. But it was really quite shameful the way she was leading on the poor boy. Now the problem is just the opposite, and Charlie wonders why there is no happy medium. But all in all, if these are the only two options, he can't help but be pleased with her choice.

And he supposes that at some point, things have to cool down slightly between his daughter and her new boyfriend. They have, after all, only been together for a couple weeks. They'll calm down eventually, right? Perhaps in ten or fifteen years?

They are supposedly cooking dinner. And one way or another, by the time Rachel arrives with her father at the Swan house, there will indeed be a complete home cooked meal on the table. But Charlie isn't sure how. He hears no sounds of sauteing, frying, chopping, or boiling. The last time Charlie peeked into the kitchen, Bella had grape jelly on both her cheeks, and Jacob was covered in flour despite the fact that none of the recipes they are preparing involve flour or jelly. Charlie is fairly certain that Jacob will use the excuse to take off his shirt. Again. He has the slightly nauseating thought that his daughter may have thrown flour on her boyfriend with that specific intention in mind. Even if the children have an uncanny ability to spring apart from one another just before he enters a room, Bella is very bad at hiding the glazed-over expression in her eye when she sees Jacob partially unclothed. It is positively distressing to Charlie.

That is the only thing he misses about Edward Cullen, who not once laughed with his daughter the way Jacob is in the kitchen right now. Bella looked at him with desperate worship, but drool was never involved. Maybe if Jacob had had his growth spurt a year earlier, they could have avoided all this trouble. Charlie actually wonders what took Bella so long to notice. Jacob started shooting up and filling out months ago, but Bella seemed oblivious at first. Charlie noticed when she started looking at him just a few seconds longer, or when her face got a happy little smile on it at the mention of his name. He noticed it before she was aware of it herself. It wasn't until they had their odd falling out that Charlie thought that his daughter had started to figure out how important her new best friend had become. But they made up, and things started to look brighter, and Charlie thought he was going to get his daughter back. Until she ran off mysteriously, and came back with Cullen in tow.

She pretended to be happy about it, seemed to have fooled herself into thinking she really was happy, but Charlie could tell the difference. There was too much of an air of desperation around it. It was forced. Charlie saw it, but had no idea what to do about it. He had never heard of a father of a teenage girl successfully talking a girl out of her obsession with a boy, but he had seen plenty of examples of parents who lost their children forever by trying to forcibly separating their children from the supposed loves of their lives. Much as it pained him, Bella had to figure out on her own just how wrong for her Edward Cullen was.

During her short time with him, Bella has run off not once, but twice. Edward was responsible for both disappearances. Charlie Swan knows a cover story when he hears one, and the tale of Carlisle and Edward going to Phoenix to recover Bella was just that. He still wants to know what happened. Maybe she will tell him in ten or twenty years. Probably not. Maybe he can get it out of Jacob.

Thank goodness Jacob was around to stop her from making any more big mistakes. He doesn't know how Jacob convinced her. One day she refused to even visit him, and the next she had broken off her engagement. However it happened, the end result is that Bella is laughing right now. It's the best sound a father could hear.

A few minutes later, Jacob sticks his head into the living room and asks, "Hey Charlie, do you mind if the Clearwaters join us tonight?" Most of him is blocked by the wall, but Charlie can see that he was right about the flour. It still peppers Jacob's hair, and the boy no longer wears a shirt. Oh well. If Charlie had looked at sixteen like Jacob does now, he probably would have ripped off his clothing whenever he saw a pretty girl too. Teenagers are so transparent.

"Of course they can, son."

Jacob grins, "Sweet!" and disappears back into the kitchen. Now he hears the clattering of pots and pans. Apparently playtime is over, and the real cooking will begin.

Bella's new friendship with Leah Clearwater is an absolute mystery to Charlie. As far as he could tell, up until a month ago, Leah actually actively disliked his daughter. He only saw them interact a couple times, but Leah's demeanor toward Bella was even more hostile than her usual frustration. Simultaneously, Bella went from barely remembering her to being intimidated by her. And then, all of a sudden, he found Leah Clearwater in his kitchen sipping hot beverages or eating their leftovers, strangely barefoot and wearing a worn sundress covered in dirt, and Bella was seeing more of Leah than Alice Cullen. Was this Jacob's doing as well? But he was never close to Leah either. Charlie decides this is one mystery not worth pondering.

The Clearwaters arrive before the Blacks. Seth and Leah head into the kitchen, and he hears Leah give Bella a hand sautéing the fish, and moments later, slapping the boys for sneaking food. She is apparently much more effective than Bella at protecting the meal. Sue takes a seat on the couch, and remarks, "This is a nice change of pace. Us out here relaxing and the kids in there doing all the work."

"I've gotten used to being spoiled since Bella came home."

She smiles warmly. "Bet you're happy that she's sticking around a little longer. Leah tells me she'll be going to Peninsula, at least for a year?"

Charlie nods. "Can't say I was looking forward to her going all the way to Alaska. I do hope she still finishes a bachelor's, but there's no reason she can't get prerequisites out of the way here. And for a lot less dough, too. Leah enrolling as well?"

"Yeah. She'd like to go farther away, have an adventure somewhere. Maybe she can transfer out in a couple years. Until then, maybe the girls can commute in together sometime?"

Maybe Sue knows more than he does. "When'd the girls get to be such good friends, anyway?"

Sue shrugs. "I don't really know, but it has been good for Leah, I think."

Charlie agrees. "Bella too."

Just then, Billy and Rachel come through the front door.

"Ahhh. Smells good in here. Must mean that you didn't do any of the cooking, old man. Oh, hi Sue!" Billy greets them cheerfully. "Did my boy leave us anything to eat?"

Charlie smiles. "Sounds like Leah was knocking heads in there," he says, motioning toward the kitchen. "She could teach Bella a thing or two about how to keep those rowdy boys in line."

Sue mutters, "Oh, you have no idea," just before Leah calls out,

"Come and get it before Seth and Jake destroy the whole thing!"

Jake yells out, "Hey, I cooked half this stuff. Doesn't that count for something?"

"Only if you leave some for the rest of us!" Billy calls back.

It turns out that Jacob and Bella can make fish that rivals even Harry Clearwater's old recipe, which prompts Billy to raise a glass to their old friend in a toast. "To a wonderful father, dear husband, and a damn good friend. Badly missed but fondly remembered." Sue and her kids all get a little choked up until Charlie tells a story about a drunken escapade involving their father, Billy, himself, and a leaky skiff.

Bella wishes she saw this side of her father more often. Lighthearted, relaxed, funny. When she first moved back to Forks, she felt the silences were easy. Somewhere along the way they became awkward, and the looks he gave her were worried. Particularly after Edward left. She thought she recovered after he came back, but her fragile relationship with Charlie had not. This is a nice change of pace.

Rachel leaves early, claiming she has a "non-date" with Paul. Charlie looks confused, and Leah checks the clock. "So it's eight pm. Where are you going?"

"Just coffee."

"Anybody else going?"

"Well, no," she admits reluctantly.

"That sounds like a date."

"Well, it's not."

Leah smirks. "Does he know that?"

"I have been very clear. It isn't a date."

"How many days this week have you seen him?"

Quietly, she replies, "Every day."

"Hmmm. Sure, Rachel, it's not a date. He's just your BFF."

Charlie leans over to Billy and whispers, "What's a BFF?"

"I don't know, but there are two F's. Maybe it's swearing?" Billy whispers back.

Sue fills them in. "Best Friends Forever." Which doesn't help at all.

"So is it a date, or isn't it?" Charlie feels silly, but now he really is curious.

Billy replies knowingly, "It's a date to Paul. It's not a date to Rachel. She's seeing some guy named Trevor who is also moving to Seattle."

Charlie is just as confused. "Paul knows she's dating someone else?" Billy nods. "And she knows that he knows?" Billy nods again. "Is it serious?"

Billy shrugs. "Probably not. She doesn't talk about him much, and she doesn't get that look."

"What look?"

"That googly-eyed look that girls get when they talk about boys they really like." Charlie and Sue both nod in understanding. Leah used to give that look to Sam. Bella used to give that look to Edward, although with an air of desperation, and now gives it to Jacob. The look she gives to Jacob is much more pure and happy.

"And he knows that she knows, and she knows that he knows?" Billy nods. "So why is she going out with him?"

Billy shrugs. "Because she's nice, and she's giving him a chance."

"But it's not a date."

"Right."

Sue chimes in, "The kids on the rez are better than watching a soap opera."

"It would probably be more entertaining if they weren't your own kids!" Charlie laughs.

Bella and Leah return to the kitchen to make everyone mugs of their spicy chocolate, and then Jake, Bella, Leah and Seth take their drinks out to the backyard to look at the sight of an unusual number of fireflies which have congregated at the edge of the forest. Seth leans on the railing of the porch, while Bella and Jacob sit on the steps. Leah steadfastly refuses to go anywhere near the porch, and stands conspicuously in the yard.

"Take a seat, Sis, you look weird standing out there with your cup," Seth calls out.

"Yeah, no. I don't think so. The whole area has been contaminated. I'm not going anywhere near there." She gestures at the porch with her free hand.

Seth furrows his brow in confusion, while Jacob actually blushes. "You told her?" he whispers to Bella. "I know I've kept my thoughts to myself."

Bella can't think of how to respond. Leah says dryly, "Don't worry, she didn't disparage your skills or anything."

Jacob is at a loss for words. "But..."

Leah continues, deadpan, "No, really. She was quite complementary, in fact. Even Mike was impressed."

Jacob is horrified, and Bella has her face buried in her hands. "Newton? Mike Newton?" Leah nods, so he turns to Bella, his voice rising in pitch, "What did you say to Newton?"

Leah jumps back in. "It wasn't an explanation, so much as an explicit gesture." Jacob's eyes grow wider.

Seth can hear them perfectly well, but hasn't put two and two together yet, and says, "What the heck are all of you talking about?"

"Cooties. Lots and lots of cooties up on that porch," Leah snorts.

Seth straightens up slowly, and a half a beat later, when he figures out what she means, cries, "Oh, God, why did you tell me that? I was better off not knowing!" and vaults over the railing to join his sister, laughing in the yard. He tackles her playfully, sending her cup flying.

She puts him in a headlock in retaliation. "You should know by now not to come between me and my chocolate, little boy!" He struggles to flip her over, and they both end up laughing in a tangle on the ground.

Jacob leans into Bella's ear and whispers loudly in a falsely affected tone, "Can you think of anywhere else we should spread our cooties?" causing all four of them to break down in laughter. They don't notice Sue in the kitchen window smiling at the sight of her children with their friends. She can't remember the last time she saw Leah so relaxed.

Suddenly, a piercing howl rings through the air. All three wolves spring up in alarm. That particular howl means only one thing. Danger, and from the sound of it, on the reservation. It is quickly followed by a second howl, and then a third, which is abruptly cut off.

Leah and Seth head straight for the treeline at the sound of the first howl, and phase as soon as they are out of sight, ripping their clothes to shreds. Jacob is only seconds behind them, having paused to kiss Bella quickly and tell her, "Stay inside, Bells, no matter what. At least one of us will be here guarding everyone. I love you." And then he's gone.

Sue appears on the porch a moment later. Having Bella to care for centers her and gives her a purpose other than just panicking over the safety of her children. Sue draws her into the kitchen, keeping her hands on Bella's shoulders. Bella isn't sure if Sue's hands are squeezing her so tightly to keep Bella in place, or to keep Sue herself from keeling over, but either way, it's working. Otherwise, one or both women may have fainted by now.

Sue steers Bella to sit at the kitchen table, and gently takes the nearly empty mug out of Bella's hands. She had only sipped at it, but the rest had spilled out due to the shaking of her hands. A fair amount landed on Bella's shirt, which she hasn't noticed at all. Sue places the cup in the sink and stares out the window for any sign as to what is going on. The only thing she sees are the mugs on the porch and grass. For some reason, the sight of the abandoned porcelain in the yard nearly pushes her over the edge. She grips the edge of the counter to hold herself up and tries to remember to breathe. All she can hear is the rushing of blood in her ears.

She doesn't know if a second, a minute, or an hour passes when she registers the sound of ragged, gasping breaths behind her. As she turns around to check on Bella, she sees Billy frowning at her from the next room. Obviously, he heard the howling as well. Charlie, on the other hand, has gone to retrieve and load his shotgun. He heard the howls as well, although he came to the understandably wrong conclusion about what they meant.

Bella is too pale, and has her arms wrapped around her middle. Sue steps over to her and places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "They will be fine, dear. They know what they're doing." If she says it often enough, maybe it will be true. Her children have to come back to her, safe and sound. Seth will walk through the back door any minute now with the same bashful pride on his face that he wore when he told her that he killed the vampire assisting the redheaded female who was after Bella. Leah will follow moments later, making fun of Jake for being overprotective of Bella. She won't lose another member of her family so soon after losing Harry. She can't.

She is startled out of her thoughts by Charlie entering the room, and peering out the back window, shotgun in hand. "Those wolves sound awfully close. Hey, where are the rest of the kids? No one should be outside if those animals are nearby. Not after the animal killings last year."

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob, Leah, and Seth phase in to madness. Overlying the cacophony of screaming voices is Brady in overwhelming pain. Both his back legs are broken and bent at unnatural angles. And through the eyes of their brothers, they see flashes of deathly pale skin and razor sharp teeth blinking in and out.

_Quiet! _Jacob roars. _Seth, stay here and guard the house. _He trusts Seth, young though he is. Seth's own mother is in that house, and he has seen combat and proven himself when he killed Riley. _Brady, where are you? _He recognizes the forest of LaPush, but nothing more specific than that.

Through his haze of pain, Brady replies, _The woods. Near Second Beach._

Jacob scans to see who is closest. It is Paul, who has just phased in. _Paul, find him and help him. Who did this to you? Are they still there?_

_I don't know. I don't think so._

As Brady struggles to make sense of what happened to him, the wolves catch sight of a skinny, blonde male vampire darting through the trees in front of Embry, who had been on patrol on the eastern border of the reservation.

Embry tears after it, yelling, _I'm on it!_ Jared and Sam, newly phased in, rush to back him up, while Leah and Jacob make for the reservation.

_Show us what happened, Brady._ He replays the last minute in his mind. They see a different vampire, unrecognized by any of them. A slight, middle-aged female with ebony skin dropped suddenly into Brady's line of vision. It came out of nowhere, baring its teeth at him, and led him on a short chase away from the beach. When he was about to catch up to it, he heard the barest whisper of air movement behind him as the acrid scent of death filled his nose, and just as he turned to look behind him, felt searing pain in both hind legs as they were grasped and crushed beneath him. As he stumbled downward, he twisted his neck just in time to see long brown hair, pale white skin, and tan fabric disappearing up a tall pine.

Jacob understands. _That's her! That's the rogue. I recognize the scent, and I know I've seen her before. The one you were chasing, did it smell like anything?_

And understanding dawns on Brady as well. _No, Jake. I didn't smell a damn thing until I got hit. I just spotted it and ran._

_Thanks, man. Phase out as soon as Paul gets to you. Until then, I want you to stay in wolf form. You're vulnerable now with broken legs, but you'll be even more defenseless as a human. Paul, take him to Sam's and call Dr. Fang. He'll reset your legs. Everybody, pay attention to the trees. It knows it's hard for us to get up there. Jared, head for the ocean. It's the leech's favorite escape route. _He turns his attention to Embry and Sam. Embry still sees the male vampire he is tracking flitting in and out of his visual field, far ahead of him, darting in and out of the trees. _Do you guys smell anything?_

_Yeah, _Embry replies, _but it's faint. It smells like the vampire that took down Brady. _

_Is it a clear trail? _Jacob asks for clarification as he rushes toward the reservation. _Are you getting a second scent, or just the rogue?_

_It smells like just one, but it's hard to tell. The damn thing is moving so fast. _Embry answers, but Sam is paying close attention, and he is gaining on them.

Jacob issues more instructions. _Sam, get there as soon as you can. I think the one that hurt Brady is close to Embry. But there may just be the one vampire. I'm not convinced that other one is really there. Embry, you stay on its tail; we can't afford to ignore if it is really there. But pay close attention to your surroundings. I don't want one to drop on you from above while you're chasing the other. _

Collin phases in just then. _Collin, Brady has been hurt. There is at least one vampire on the loose on the rez. It's the same one that escaped the newborn fight that I chased up to Canada. Get to Brady and Paul, and help Brady back to Emily's. Then call Dr. Cullen and have him come set Brady's legs. _Jacob isn't interested in having his young cousin in the middle of this battle. They already nearly lost Brady. And he could really use Paul for something other than being a medic for Brady._ Paul, as soon as you've passed off Brady, I want you to start back at the point you found him. I want you to start tracing the vampire from there. Be prepared to sniff up trees, or even climb them if you have to._

_Gotcha, boss. _

Soon, Sam is close enough that he can see Embry's gray tail weaving between the trees. _I smell it. I can't tell where it's coming from, but I smell the rogue. _Moments later, Paul comes across Brady, and the wolves feel both of their minds blink out of the pack mind as they phase back to human. Collin is still minutes away.

Jacob checks in. _Jared, anything odd on your end?_

_Nothing, Jake. Not so far._

_Head north along the beach. Try to stay parallel to where Embry and Sam are, but keep to the coast. I still think the vampire might make a run for the ocean. Sam, what do you see? What do you smell? Remember guys, trust your other senses here._

Just as Jacob asks the question, Embry loses sight of the blonde male leech in front of him, while at the same moment, a different vampire, a male with jet black hair, drops out of a tree just feet in front of Sam. As Sam lunges for it, it darts west in a dead sprint. Sam gives chase, while Embry turns around in confusion. He is about to give up on the one he was chasing when he looks up and spots it perched in a tree above his head. It jumps to the branches of an adjoining pine as he stares at it. He is about to follow it when Jacob stops him. _Embry, is that thing actually up there?_

_Crap, man, I don't know!_

_Go to the last spot you're sure you saw it. It was only a few feet behind you. Use your nose, not your eyes. Do you smell anything at all?_

Embry examines the area carefully. _No, Jake. Nothing. Not even the other scent. Not even the one that got Brady._

Jacob issues an announcement as he flashes a picture of the blonde vampire in question at everyone's mind. _Okay, everyone, this one is an illusion. If you see it, unless you have some other evidence that it's actually there, like touch or smell, ignore it. It's a distraction. Embry, go after Sam. And use your nose. Seth, any action?_

_No, nothing. Not a whiff of vampire so far._

_Good. Stay on alert. _Jacob and Leah have nearly reached the spot Embry just vacated, on the eastern border of the reservation. _Leah, head west, and try to sniff out the trail of the rogue newborn. I'm going to head south along the border to try to do the same. Sam, how about you?_

Sam can clearly see the male he is chasing. It keeps turning its head to give him taunting grins, letting him get close, and then leaping away. He smells the sickly sweet, ammonia and acid smell of a vampire. But not a strongly as he ought, considering the thing is only feet away. He slows down. _No. I smell something pretty close, but you're right. That's not it. _The male stops as he stops, and turns to face him directly. They stare each other down. Jacob turns toward Sam as well, so that he, Leah, and Embry are all headed toward Sam.

Jacob asks Embry, _How close are you?_

_A minute or two away, max._

_Sam, don't do anything yet. But keep your wits about you. There's something near you, isn't there?_

_Yeah, I can feel it. But I don't know where. It's hard to turn away from the one I can see in front of my face. It goes against my instincts._

_Keep it in your peripheral vision, but look around. Don't forget to look up. We need to figure out where this thing really is. Because the thing in front of you, I don't think it's real. _Sam complies, steps back several paces, and starts to look about him. But as soon as he does so, the male in front of him launches itself toward him. He reflexively jumps to the side, and out of its way. He spins to face it, then backs up again, putting more distance between himself and the shade. Jacob says, _I know it probably isn't there, but on the off chance it isn't, you don't have to let it grab you. Just try to hold the position until we can all get there to back you up._

At that moment, they see through Collin's eyes that he has reached Paul and Brady. _Phase out, Collin. Take Brady home, and send Paul back in._ Soon, Collin disappears and Paul phases back in.

_I'll head back, where you wanted me, to find the trail._

Jacob replies, _No need. The rogue is close to Sam now. He can sense it. We all can. Jared, where is Kim?_

_Sam and Emily's, as a matter of fact._

_Good. Is Quil out of town with Claire? He never phased in._

_Yeah, _Embry replies. _Miles away._

_Okay. Rachel is on her way to meet you, Paul. Get her and take her to Sam's. Then I want you to stay there with Collin to guard the imprints and Brady. _They can all feel Paul's relief at getting this assignment, and Sam's and Jared's as well, knowing their loved ones will be protected.

Soon, they can all see Sam's huge black wolf in Embry's distant vision. _Shit, I see it too. It looks so real! _The male vampire is bent into a defensive crouch across from Sam, and it turns its head just enough to see Embry approaching.

Jacob tells them both, _Leah and I will be there soon. Sam, you keep your focus on the one you can see. Embry, I want you to focus on the areas behind and above Sam that he can't see. We're going to find this thing. It isn't getting away this time._

Embry quickly catches a strong, fresh trail. _This is it! Jake, this is the scent, isn't it?_

_Yeah. That's the one. Follow it. _The trail runs for only a few yards before it goes up a tree. Embry looks up into the branches, but doesn't see anything. _Keep your eyes up everyone, _Jacob instructs._ Any way for you to tell where it went from there?_

_Not from down here, _Embry replies.

_We're only a minute behind you. _Leah and Jacob are running at top speed. Now that he has reached his maximum Alpha powers, he is as fast as she is. _As soon as we get there, I'll have you phase to human and climb the goddamn tree. But wait until we can back you up. I'll bet you anything that the vampire knows each of our positions. And it can probably tell you're on to it, since there is no other reason you'd be staring up that tree with another leech facing off with Sam just a few feet away._

The next seconds are tense, as Sam stares down what is probably an illusion, and Embry strains through the thick canopy to find any sign of his prey. Embry and Sam can hear Leah's and Jacob's rapid, pounding gallop before they can see them. Then the four wolves are all in sight of each other. _Okay, now Embry, time to get a real look. _

Embry phases to human form and scrambles up the tree. "I've got a better view from up here."He twists to look around him, trying to catch sight of pale skin and dark hair. He spies movement to the north and calls down, "There's something that way. I see some movement. Red clothes. Wait. There's a second one. I see a bright blue shirt too. Two figures. I can see two figures that way."

_Leah, go check it out. _Jacob directs her. _It might just be another trick. The vampire we're looking for was wearing tan, not blue or red. _Jacob can see that Embry is preparing to climb down the tree and phase back in. Jacob quickly phases to human and calls up, "Not yet man, we still need a lookout. Do a thorough search and report down." A second later Jacob rejoins the pack mind.

_Okay, Sam. You and me, we're gonna make sure that thing you're staring at isn't real. Then we're gonna go back up Leah. I'm getting behind it. I want you to rush it toward me. _Jacob gets into position, and Sam springs at the crouched figure with a terrorizing roar. As expected, it twists away from him and directly toward Jacob, who springs just a millisecond after Sam. Jacob braces for an impact, but feels nothing. They look around. The thing is gone. _All right, another false alarm. _

Embry, high above them, manages to keep his eyes peeled away from Sam and Jacob during the bizarre exchange, and instead keeps his sight in the trees. Just as the illusion disappears, he sees a flash of pale skin, brown hair, and a tan shirt leaping east between tall pines. "That's it! I see it! East, Jake, it's heading for Forks!" He drops to the ground, phases, and immediately takes off after the vampire.

Jacob can see his prey through Embry's eyes. _Embry, stay on its tail! Keep it in sight. Jared, start coming our way. Now you can see it too. I want you on your way here to intercept if it turns to make a run for the ocean._

They see through Leah's eyes that she has actually come upon two humans, not vampires. She stays out of their line of sight and keeps to the trees. _Leah, we can't have hikers caught up in this. Steer them away! Sam, come with us. _

Leah calls out just as they can all sense in her mind that she has found something else. _Wait, Jake. There's another trail here. A fresh one. It smells like Edward Cullen._

Jacob exclaims, _Shit! Okay, Sam, head up to get those hikers out of the way. Leah, follow the trail, as fast as you can._ He breaks away to comply, while Jacob and Embry stay on the trail of the newborn. They can see it leap from tree to tree. It looks down at them. It is a small female with long, brunette hair. It was still young when it was turned, perhaps fourteen or fifteen. It looks terrified and angry all at once. Eventually it drops to the ground. There is no longer any point to staying in the trees. They have spotted it, and the airborne travel just slows its escape.

It sprints along the ground. Jacob and Embry can both smell its strong trail now that it is so close and out of the trees. Jacob realizes with horror that if it stays on its current trajectory, it will be at Bella's home in minutes. And it is extremely fast. He pushes his speed faster than he has ever run before, and soon leaves Embry behind. _Seth, stay alert! I have a bad feeling that this bitch I'm chasing is gunning for Bella. _

Seth turns toward the Swan house. Charlie has just come to pace outside, shotgun in hand, calling out for Jacob, Leah, and Seth to come in. _Shit, Jacob! It's Charlie! I'm gonna get him back inside._ Jacob immediately protests, but it's too late. Seth has phased out, essentially leaving the house unprotected.

_Dammit! I could care less if Charlie sees something at this point. I need a wolf guarding that house. Not a naked boy!_ He can see the vampire ahead of him. He is gaining ground, little by little. _Leah, check in. Tell me about the trail._

_Bad news, Jake. It's headed in your direction, and it's real fresh. It's weaving a little bit, but I have a feeling the endpoint is still the Swan house. I'm tracking it as fast as I'm able, but I don't know if it's enough._

_It has to be enough. _He pushes himself as hard as he can. He is well ahead of Embry, and Seth still hasn't phased back in. He gets a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, and so does Leah. Faintly, he starts to smell Edward Cullen. He isn't exactly on Cullen's trail, but it must be somewhere nearby. As he runs, he sees through Sam's eyes that he has come across the spot where Leah found the hikers. He searches the area thoroughly, but can find no traces of them.

_Jake, any suggestions?_

_Shit. Were they another distraction?_

Sam replies, _They were human, not vamps, walking at a normal human speed. They can't have gotten far._

Jacob asks Leah, _Did you ever catch a scent from them?_

_No, but I was upwind from them, not the other way around. I'm sorry, Jake. I screwed up and chased phantoms._

He reassures her, _No, you didn't screw up. We couldn't take the chance that there were innocent victims wandering around out here. And human scent isn't nearly as strong as vampire. You have to get a hell of a lot closer to tell. Sam, if they had been drained, you would be able to smell blood. Look around for another minute. See if you can pick up any human scent. If not, it must have been another distraction. Then head our way._

Jacob is nearly on the heels of the vampire. They are only yards from the Swan house, and Seth is nowhere to be found. Jacob smells his scent, but sees him nowhere. He doesn't see Charlie either, so hopefully they are just in the house together. Jacob lunges for the vampire, and in desperation, it scrambles up a tree, just out of reach of his powerful jaws. He has outpaced Embry by at least a minute or two, and although Leah is as fast as he is, she is several minutes behind, as is Sam. He and the vampire are alone. They face each other down in the treeline behind Bella's home.

The young vampire looks away. Jacob can tell that it is trying to pick an escape route. It is trying to figure out which tree to leap to. He doesn't plan on letting it get that far. _Be right back, guys._ He returns to his human form and swiftly climbs the tree. The vampire stares at him for a second, startled by his actions, which it should not have done. It crouches to leap away, but is a millisecond too late. Jacob has it by the ankle. It is precariously perched, so they both tumble down. By the time he hits the ground, he is a wolf again.

The leech springs up, but now that Jacob has caught up, there is no way he will let it get away. He leaps at it, sinking his jaws into its flank, tearing out a chunk. It screams and twists away. He flings the disgusting mouthful to the side, and launches himself back at the vampire. In the next moment three things happen. First, the wind shifts, blowing the strong scent of Edward Cullen to burn his nostrils. Edward is very nearby, but just out of sight. Second, he latches his teeth around the vampire's leg, while the vampire rains blows upon his head. Third, he sees a new figure stumble into view. Bloody, weak, and calling his name.

"Jacob? Is that you? Help me, please." She reaches out her hands to him. They are soaked in her own blood.

_What the fuck, Jake?_

_What's going on?_

Jacob returns his attention to the vampire. He viciously rips out the leg he has clamped in his jaws. It tries to push away, but before it can move out of his reach, he grabs its other leg and rips that out too, and the screaming leech falls under him. He pins it to the ground with his front paws.

The human figure sways and drops to her knees. "Help me," she repeats in a wavering voice, before dropping into a faint.

_What's she doing here, Jake?_ The voice belongs to Leah.

Jacob stares at the still figure. _She's not here, _he says sadly, _This bitch I've got pinned beneath me must have killed her. _The vampire is struggling beneath him, but has no leverage without legs, and wouldn't be strong enough to overpower him even if it had all its limbs.

_How can you tell?_

_She doesn't smell like anything, for one. And even if she did, there's no way she'd know my name. Not in wolf form._

Embry arrives at their location. He can see the bloody girl as well as Jacob can. _Who was she?_

_Her name was Mina. I saved her life in Vancouver. Guess I was just borrowing time._ He pulls himself off the vamp. He doesn't have time for a reverie. _Rip off the arms, Embry. I want to question it before we burn it._

Embry happily complies as Jacob heads for the house. He realizes that Bella's window is open and phases into his human form, breaking into a dead sprint, dread taking over him. He vaults into the window and nearly collapses in grief. The stench is overpowering. Cullen was just here. He runs to the front of the house. The window is open here too. He drops to the front yard just in time to hear the screeching of tires down the road. He phases into wolf form to give chase. In the back of his mind, he wonders if anyone saw him, but doesn't care at all.

_Everybody but Embry, with me! He has Bella. He took Bella!_

_Why the car?_ Leah asks. _He knows we can go faster than a car._

As Jacob sprints down the road, he sees the car in the distance. It's the Aston Martin. If Cullen gets on a straightaway, the car's top speed will outpace all of the wolves. But they are still in a winding neighborhood. Even the best driver can't steer this car around these roads going over 100 miles per hour. Jacob gains ground.

But just as he is about to overtake the vehicle, the passenger door opens, and Jacob discovers the other reason Cullen took the car instead of just running off with Bella in his arms. A pale arm reaches out the door as the car swerves, shoving the limp body of Seth Clearwater tumbling to the asphalt.


	33. Chapter 33

Rating: MA for violence

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Wednesday  
X-x-x-x-X

Bella watches as Sue sputters to give Charlie a plausible explanation as to where Jacob and her children went. Bella thinks of a dozen useless cover stories. The underage teenagers went for a beer run? They decided to play hide and seek in the woods? They heard the howling and wanted to go looking for some wild animals? Sue's explanation isn't much better than Bella's ideas, but is at least consistent with the fact that there are abandoned mugs in the backyard, and begins with the truth, which has to count for something. "Well, Seth tackled Leah, and then Leah put Seth into a headlock, so he flipped her over, and she barreled into Jacob. I'm not sure what it was all about. They went chasing each other down that way." She points toward the next door neighbor's yard, and then toward the street. "Not into the woods."

Charlie looks very skeptical and turns to Bella. "So if everyone's playing tag out there, what are you doing in here?"

Bella states a fact without actually answering the question. "Well, they're a lot faster than me." Billy gives a falsely cheery laugh at her joke from the next room.

"Hey, old man, get me a beer, would you?"

Sue gives her own weak laugh. "Got anything stronger?"

It gives Billy an opening for a better distraction for Charlie. Billy rolls into the kitchen. "Hey, Charlie, do you remember that ridiculous drink we got at that crazy biker bar in Oregon?"

"Oh, Buffalo Sweat! It nearly burned my tongue off! All I ate the next day was was ice cream! But Harry, what he did. A thing of beauty."

Sue peeks out the back window, but her attention is piqued at the mention of Harry's name. "What was this, now?"

Charlie looks at her with surprise. "Uh oh, Harry never did tell you, did he?"

Billy laughs, "No. He was in the dog house, man. Remember? He was in trouble with Sue."

"Wait, now you have to tell me!" Sue is genuinely interested now. Charlie moves to lean his shotgun against the kitchen counter.

Billy looks at Charlie and grins. "Okay. Leah was little, and Seth had just been born. He wasn't sleeping at all, and you guys were both burned out. Just exhausted. I think he told you he had a business trip to go on?"

Sue's eyes widen in recognition. "Yeah. A conference over a long weekend. I remember. I was so tired to begin with, and then even more exhausted when he came back. I was so angry that he went went out of town because he only gave one day's warning. But he said he had no choice. Some other guy had cancelled last minute, and he had to fill in. Seth was colicky all weekend, and Leah got the stomach flu. It was awful. And I had no one to help me. Then I got sick, too!"

Charlie nods. "Yep. There was no conference. We took him on a fishing trip." For a second, Sue looks mad. Then she bursts out laughing. "And he paid for it anyway, let me tell you."

"I remember he came home with this awful sore throat. Said he had picked up strep throat in the hotel somehow, but wouldn't let me take him to the doctor for antibiotics. Couldn't eat normal food for days because it hurt too much."

"That wasn't strep throat. Burned his throat, actually," Billy grins.

Charlie sets the scene. "Okay, okay. So it's Saturday night, our last night of freedom. We're driving back on Sunday afternoon. We're in the middle of nowhere looking for a drink. Can't even find a 7-11 to sell us a can of Bud. We get lost looking for one, and end up on an old county road in Podunk, Nowhere. There's neon lights in the distance, and we figure we'll go take a look. We don't know where we are, we don't know where we're going, and we haven't seen anywhere worth stopping. There isn't a single car in the parking lot, just motorcycles. And we're in your old hippie van, Sue, that VW van with the orange curtains in the window and the shag carpet on the floor that you guys salvaged and fixed up, remember?"

Sue's face lights up. "Oh, the van! We called it the Love Bug! Seth was con..." she abruptly cuts herself off and looks at Bella and turns bright red. After a beat, Bella turns red as well, and can't look Sue in the eye. "Don't tell him, okay?"

Bella chokes, "Why would I tell him? I'm planning on having a few drinks with you guys now so I can forget what I just heard." Billy and Charlie bust out laughing until Billy rolls to Charlie's liquor cabinet and starts rifling through the contents.

When he recovers, Charlie continues, "So the three of us head in, and like I said, it turns out to be a biker bar. And not just any biker bar. It's full of skinheads. And back in the day, in that part of the country, guys who shave their heads aren't just trying to hide the fact that they're going bald. These guys are actual skinheads, and here I come in, walking with these two redskins out of a genuine hippie van."

Billy takes over. "The room goes silent, and everyone turns and looks at us. And they look hostile. Drunk and mean."

"Yeah," Charlie agrees. "I've walked into a few uncomfortable situations in my time, and this room feels wrong. And then somebody actually turns off the jukebox. Walks around the back of the thing and unplugs it and turns around to look at us. And I'm standing there wishing my service weapon isn't at home on the counter."

"And the jukebox turning off must be a signal, because a door opens in the back, and this little, wrinkled, hairy woman comes out," Billy continues.

"She's four foot nothing, she looks like a troll, and she's got a mustache," Charlie adds.

"A pretty impressive mustache," Billy agrees, "and everyone looks at her and waits for her to do something."

"She comes right up to Billy, gets all up in his face, only she's so damn short, she can only get all up in his chest."

"And she pokes me in the chest and says to me, 'You Injun?', like we're in the wild west or something."

Charlie continues, "So Billy says, 'Yes, ma'am. Quileute.' She moves to stand in front of Harry, and pokes him too, and says, 'You too?' and he nods, and then she pokes me and says, 'You an honorary Injun?' And I have no idea what to say, so Harry says, 'Sure is.'"

"So she nods, and goes behind the bar, and pulls out this stuff." Billy sets on the table tequila and a little bottle of tabasco. "Only she doesn't have normal grocery store hot sauce, she's got something I haven't seen before, and I haven't seen since. She motions for us to come up to the bar, and we all line up like lambs to slaughter."

"She sets down nine shot glasses in neat little rows in front of us, three for each one of us, like this." Charlie uses an assortment of glasses and the salt and pepper shakers on his kitchen table to illustrate.

"She pours each glass two thirds full with tequila, and finishes 'em off with the tabasco. All the way to the brim." Billy holds his hand over the top of a mug to show them how full the glasses were. "And she says, 'I don't know you boys, and there ain't nobody in here gonna vouch for you,' and she looks around, and everybody's just standing there, staring at us, with their arms folded over their chests like so," Billy puffs out his own chest, frowns, and crosses his arms.

Charlie continues, "And then she says, 'If you wanna stay in this bar, you gotta finish these here drinks. Them's called Buffalo Sweat. You get 'em 'cause you're Redskins. If you was all Spics, I'd give you Dirty Mexicans, but you ain't.'"

Billy interrupts, "And we asked around later to figure out what a Dirty Mexican is. It's made of tequila and mayonnaise!" Sue looks horrified. "So she says, 'Now, I don't care if each of you drinks three, of if one of you drinks all nine, but if these ain't all gone at the end of one minute,' and she pulls out her watch and looks at it, 'then you're all out on your asses.'"

Bella asks, "Why didn't you just leave?"

Charlie and Billy both frown at her sternly. Sue snorts and pats her on the shoulder. "Male pride, dear. Y chromosomes. So what happened?"

Billy and Charlie look at each other and grin. Billy says, "Charlie takes a deep breath, pinches his nose, and tosses one back. But he chokes, and it gets all up in his sinuses, and some even comes out his nose once he lets go. He's all red, and instantly covered in sweat, looks like his face is going to explode."

Charlie guffaws, "I almost fall to the floor, and well, now I'm scared shitless of the damn drink, and my whole face is burning, but the bikers are laughing at us, and that's not okay. So Billy knocks back two in a row."

Billy takes over. "And I think I'm gonna die, it's so disgusting, and my throat is on fire. Because I swear, it's not normal tabasco. It's evil stuff. Straight from the Devil's ass." Billy turns to Bella. "So your dad is still choking on the stool, and between the two of us we use up half the time. The little troll woman is smirking at us with her finger tapping at her watch, and there are six of these left. So Harry just nods, puts his left hand on his hip like this," Billy illustrates, "And Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam. They're all gone, with fifteen seconds left to spare." Billy claps his hands together twice.

Charlie deadpans, "That's the last thing any of us remember until Sunday." And all four of them bust out laughing.

When she recovers, Sue wipes tears from her eyes and says, "Okay. Now I have to know." She reaches out for the tequila and a glass, pours a little in the bottom, and uncaps the hot sauce and tips some in. She looks Charlie, and then Billy, directly in the eyes. "For old time's sake?"

Charlie's mouth drops open, but Billy rolls right up to the kitchen table and slaps his hands down. "Hell, yeah!"

But Charlie protests. "Those things nearly killed me!"

Billy wags a finger at Charlie. "I don't think so. We're gonna have another toast to Harry, and you're going to join us."

It's an offer Charlie can't refuse. "Fine, fine. But just one!"

Billy makes two more of the drinks, and then tips the bottle toward Bella. "Joining us?" Bella frantically shakes her head and blocks the bottle with her hands.

Charlie busts out laughing. "Yeah, Bells. Join us. You'll never want to touch alcohol, not ever again."

"Thanks. I'm fine. You three go ahead," she replies.

"Our loss, then," Billy says, laughing. He lifts his glass in the air. "To Harry!"

Charlie grins and lifts his, "To Harry!"

And with a wry smile, Sue nods. "To Harry."

And they tip their drinks back simultaneously. Charlie and Billy both choke and sputter, and Charlie immediately fills glasses of water for all of them as Bella laughs at her father and his friends. But Sue sits back calmly, a serene expression on her face, and refuses the water with a wave of her hand. "You know, he developed an ulcer right after that. Guess now I know why."

Bella sneaks away after a few minutes listening to them reminisce. Billy and Sue successfully distract her father, and if it weren't for the danger she can feel all around them, she would love to sit and listen to their tales. But at one point, Sue wistfully recalls a date with Harry in their youth, and she mentions that he gave her a bouquet of daisies. It reminds Bella of the daisy Jacob had picked for her out of Mrs. Ateara's garden when they were small. She had forgotten to see if it is still pressed into Charlie's copy of Robinson Crusoe. She goes to look. She heads to her own bookshelf first, but a cursory search doesn't reveal the book. Next she checks Charlie's bedroom, but it isn't there either. She heads back down to the living room, but the only books in there are skinny, small paperbacks. She decides to check the attic, tugs the cord in the hallway ceiling to pull the steps down, and heads up. The area is full of clutter, but there is a box near the trapdoor clearly marked "Books". It only takes a minute or two for her to empty the contents to the floor. At the very bottom of the box lies Robinson Crusoe. She sets it aside carefully and replaces the other books.

As she stares at the old leather binding, tracing her finger on the spine, she hears a shriek downstairs. She grabs the book, rushes out of the attic, and immediately realizes she should have just raised the steps and hidden up there. But as she stands in the hall, she hears laughing, not crying or screaming, so she closes the trap and heads down to investigate.

She nearly knocks Charlie down the stairs. He is rushing up, while she hears Seth's voice and his mother's echoing in the kitchen. She can't make out the words, but Billy sounds like he is snickering, so whatever happened can't be that bad. After colliding with his daughter, Charlie announces, "I need pants."

"What?" She is totally confused. She looks at his clothes. They look fine.

"Pants. It's an emergency." Charlie frowns.

"A pants emergency?" Bella asks with wide eyes. Charlie nods, so she lets him by. He goes up, and she goes down, peeking into the kitchen. Seth stands with his backside pressed against the rear door, buck naked, with a frying pan held strategically in front of him. Billy is collapsed into his wheelchair, rocking with silent laughter, and Sue is trying to stifle a laugh begin her hand. Charlie's shotgun lies in the middle of the kitchen, abandoned on the floor. Sue asks, "This is what you came up with?"

Seth's blush reaches from his cheeks to his defined abdomen. "I had to act quickly! He has to stay in here, and I had no idea how else to get him to come in! It worked, didn't it? Plus, you guys are the ones who let him out!"

Charlie reappears with sweatpants in hand and says nothing. Seth accepts the pants gratefully and somehow manages to put them on while keeping the frying pan in place with his left hand, in front of everyone. It occurs to no one to step out of the room to give him privacy. "Thanks. I needed that. I've got to go." And with that he drops the pan in the sink and turns to leave.

Charlie, still frowning, yells, "Wait, where the hell are you going now?"

Seth opens the door and runs out, yelling, "I've got to get my shorts back!"

Sue shuts the door behind him, then turns around to look at the assembled group. "That's my boy."

Billy snorts, "You should be proud."

Charlie has his hands on his hips. "Really, Sue? Is this a common occurrence in your house? A game the kids normally play?"

She holds her hands up, palms toward him. "I have no idea. I take no responsibility for this."

Bella, totally perplexed, gestures to Billy to join her in the next room. He obliges, and she whispers, "What was that?"

Billy sobers a little. "While we were talking, your dad heard the pack howling again. He remembered that he's still worried about the kids being outside, so he grabbed his shotgun and headed out to look for them. I think Seth decided he just needed to get him back in the house, so he came up with the worst cover story in the history of lies. He came running stark naked out of the woods, trying to cover himself with his hands, and begged Charlie to get him pants."

"He what? Why? What did he say?"

Billy rolls his eyes. "He was yelling that Leah stripped him and ran off with his clothes, and that Jacob was chasing her down to defend Seth's honor. Didn't explain further, just begged your dad to get him something to wear."

"And my dad bought it?"

"Who knows? But like the kid said, it did work. He's back in here now," Billy shrugs.

"And then what?"

"That was the whole thing. I admit, it was creative, efficient, and effective. I'm sure your dad wanted to ask him more, but he wasn't going to make the kid stand there in the buff and answer his questions. He went to get him clothes, and well, you know the rest."

"That's ridiculous!"

Billy nods knowingly. "You're telling me. Not sure I can tell this particular story around the bonfire!" He heads back into the kitchen to continue occupying Charlie, and Bella goes back up to her room. She doesn't think she can handle a conversation right now, or try to keep any lies straight. The whole situation is absurd.

The weight of the book in her hand reminds her what she was doing in the first place. She is too nervous to open it, afraid that the flower won't be there anymore, so she sits down on her bed facing her bedroom door and just stares at the volume, tracing her finger along the embossed letters on the cover and spine.

The interlude with Seth pulled her out of her anxiety for a minute, but her nervousness creeps up on her again. She is lost enough in thought to the point that she doesn't notice the window slide open behind her a minute later. Ever since Edward used to climb in that way, she had been sure to keep it oiled well so as to not allow Charlie to hear it squeak as she welcomed her nighttime visitor. Near the end of their relationship, she had stopped maintaining the lubricant, but started again when she welcomed Jacob in that way. She smiles to herself thinking of her nights with Jacob, and turns the book to hold the spine in her left hand, and runs her fingers over the closed pages with her right. And just as she is about to open the book, she feels a hard, cold hand clamp over her mouth and nose, preventing her from screaming. The hand yanks her head backward, and the book tips into her lap. Another arm slides under her knees, and she finds herself lifted up. Before she can quite register what is happening, she is falling through the front window and being hauled across the yard and down the street.

She looks up into the hard, grim face of her ex-fiance. He holds her crushed to his chest in a mockery of a bridal carry as he runs, his right arm supporting her shoulders and his left arm supporting her under her knees, but his right hand is closed firmly over her mouth and nose, while his left hand is gone. As she realizes she can't get air in with his hand where it is, and realizes what is happening to her, she struggles uselessly. In retaliation, he squeezes her in half, crushing her knees to her chest painfully, and incidentally traps her book against her abdomen. For a split second she can see over his shoulder, and catches the briefest glimpse of her russet wolf in the woods behind her home. His back is to her, and he has a struggling vampire trapped beneath him. He appears to be staring directly at an unfamiliar woman who has fainted to the ground. As soon as she sees him he is out of sight again.

Her lungs start to burn for air. Her vision clouds and her head throbs and pounds. She is shoved roughly behind the driver's seat into the tiny backseat of Edward's Aston Martin. With her last moment of consciousness she is alarmed to see Seth's form slumped in the passenger front seat. As she slips away, she registers faintly that there is a gaping wound on the back of his neck, and it looks as if his head is twisted and tipped over farther than a man's should go.

X-x-x-x-X

As Edward shoves Seth out the door of the speeding vehicle, Jacob sees the same thing that Bella does while he simultaneously hears Leah screaming in his brain. Seth's neck looks broken in the same location as a nasty wound. Vertebrae are exposed and blood drips down his back. Jacob watches him fall as if in slow motion, and without conscious thought phases back to human, diving forward to catch Seth's head in his right arm as it drops to the ground. Jacob absorbs the blow with his shoulder and keeps Seth's head from bouncing too much as his body strikes the pavement. As they skid to the side of the road, Jacob rolls onto his back and pulls Seth's unconscious form on top of his own body, trying to keep Seth's spine and neck as stable as possible. He can feel how unsteady Seth's head is in his hand. He can hear the faintest thready beat of Seth's heart. It is much too weak and much too fast. But Seth breathes on his own. Barely.

As they skid to a stop, Jacob gingerly transfers Seth to the ground, taking care not to displace his head. He can feel just how unstable the spine has become. He suspects that this sort of massive spinal injury is one of the few things that can probably kill them, and even if it doesn't, if it heals improperly he fears Seth could paralyzed for life. He looks around. They are thankfully hidden in a bend in the road. There happen to be no houses within sight, and no traffic. Night has fallen. The darkness is thick around them. He backs up a few feet to phase. _Everyone, Leah, he's alive._

He scans to see where all the wolves are. Embry is still the closest. _Scatter the arms and legs out of that thing's reach, rip off the head, and get inside. Get Sue and something to use as a backboard. We have to get Seth out of the road, but I can't just carry him back; it would paralyze him. If he isn't already. _Embry does as he is asked and quickly blinks out of the pack mind.

Leah is getting close, but hasn't gotten there yet, and Sam is on her heels. Jared is a few minutes behind both of them. Leah has stopped screaming and has gone eerily silent in the pack mind, almost as if her mind has shut down under the weight of her despair. _Sam, take over watch of that leech as soon as you get here. Don't burn it yet. I want to put the head back on and get some answers. Leah, I know you need to be with Seth, so come straight to us. As soon as you get here, I'm going to go after Bella._ As he says this, he starts to realize what he has just lost, and ruthlessly pushes his own panic and rage aside. _Jared, join Sam when you get here. If I phase out, Sam will be in charge. Paul, is Collin with Brady?_

_Yeah. They're both inside with the girls. Collin called the doctor already, and he's supposed to be on his way._

_Get him to us as soon as you can. Seth needs a doctor more than Brady does right now._

Jacob returns to his human form so he can hold Seth's head steady. A few minutes later, Leah arrives first. Apparently Embry's tasks of finding Sue and a makeshift backboard are taking a while. Leah phases back, and gently pushes Jacob aside to take over the task of stabilizing Seth's head. "Thanks for catching him," she murmurs. Then she looks right at him. "Go."

Jacob phases and runs. _Sam, tell Embry to get clothes for Leah._ He takes off at top speed, but already knows he is too late. It has only been a few minutes since Cullen kidnapped the love of his life, but a few minutes was all he needed to get away. Jacob runs anyway. There is a distinct scent to the car's exhaust, so Jacob follows it, a spark of hope driving him on.

But the trail ends in a busy supermarket parking lot. Cullen switched cars here. The Aston Martin is parked in the back, doors unlocked, keys gone, Seth's blood smeared across the passenger seat, and the engine still warm. The car contains no clues. The trails of exhaust leading in and out are myriad. Jacob has no way to determine where they went from here. He spends several minutes looping around the area, trying to pick up any familiar scents, but finds none. He turns back with a weight on his chest, and goes back to the Swan house.

X-x-x-x-X

By the time he gets to Charlie's, the house is in an uproar. He vaults in the window to Bella's room, grabs a towel from the linen closet to wrap around his waist, and goes down the stairs. Seth is on the living room floor strapped to the remnants of Charlie's dining room table with bungee cords, and Leah still kneels over her brother holding his head. Sue examines him as best she can. Charlie is screaming about getting an ambulance, but Billy has placed himself bodily between Charlie and the phone. Jacob catches his eye and shakes his head. He makes a split second decision. It is time for Charlie to know.

"Charlie, let's go into the kitchen. My dad and I have something to tell you."

"Now isn't the time for a... Where are your pants?" Charlie trails off.

"That is the very least important thing I'll tell you, but I will tell you," he says.

Billy leads them into the kitchen, where for some reason, a liquor bottle and assorted cups are already on the table. He makes a humming noise in his throat, pours a generous helping into a mug, and hands it to his best friend. "Sit," he gestures to a chair.

"Seth needs a hospital," Charlie insists.

Jacob addresses him. "Dr. Cullen is on his way. We shouldn't move him any more until then."

Charlie isn't satisfied by any means, but sits. "What the hell is going on?"

Jacob looks at his father. "Where should we start, dad?"

Billy turns to Charlie. "We have a very long story to tell you. You need to listen to the whole thing. The entire thing. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you before, but I think you'll understand why when it's done. Take a drink." Charlie just looks at him in confusion. "Seriously, take a drink."

Charlie shrugs and complies. "You're going to tell me the your big secret. The thing you never come out and say."

Billy nods at him somberly. "You know some of it anyway, without knowing it. You know how you think that we have an unfair bias against the Cullens, Charlie?"

Jacob takes over. "It's not unfair. The first time anyone from the tribe met Carlisle Cullen was in the time of my great grandfather."

Billy continues, "The Cullens are Cold Ones. From our legends."

Billy is right. The story is long. But Charlie has been listening to their tribe's tales as closely as any of them, and he remembers them well. The only thing Charlie says is to Billy, "You knew she was with a monster, a predator, and you said nothing to me?" His expression hardens, his mouth grim. Billy apologizes, but it is not enough. Charlie doesn't speak again.

By the time Carlisle arrives, Charlie is caught up to who the Cullen family really are, the treaty, and the existence of the wolves. Jacob, Billy, and Charlie pause in their conversation to look into the living room, and they see through the window an ambulance in the drive.

Jacob says in surprise, "You brought paramedics with you?"

Rosalie steps through the door bearing a backboard, c-collar, and halo. "No, moron, we stole an ambulance. You don't think he keeps this stuff in the Mercedes, do you?"

Carlisle bends over Seth to examine him. He opens a kit and starts pulling things out, handing a stethoscope and cuff to Sue, who kneels at her son's left side with her fingers on his neck and tears in her eyes. Her hands are covered in Seth's blood. "Can you get a set of vitals?"

She replies quietly, "I've been counting since we went to get him. Pulse is regular at 120. Resps at 18." She takes his blood pressure while Carlisle pulls on gloves and starts an IV in the right arm. Rosalie lays the equipment down in a flash and returns to the ambulance for a gurney and bags of saline. "82/40."

Carlisle hands Sue another IV for Seth's other arm and tells Rosalie, "Use dextrose, not saline, and keep it wide open. Wolves need the energy." Rosalie attaches the bags and hangs them on the gurney. "Let's roll him so I can look before we strap him down. Leah, have you done this before?" She shakes her head no. "Then can you move down and take his legs? Rose can support his head. She knows how." Leah looks very reluctant, but her mother tugs at her arm and signals her to move. Rosalie takes Seth's head firmly in her hands. Carlisle pulls a flashlight from the kit and hands it to Embry. "Shine it on his neck, please. Logroll on three. One, two, three."

Seth's hair is matted with blood, which also coats his neck and back. Sue gives a strangled gasp. Carlisle looks at her sympathetically. "Different when it's your own, isn't it."

The wound at the back of his neck is already partially closed. Jacob leans over to point, "When I got him, it was open from here to here. Looks like it's closing over already, but I could see all the way to the bone here and here."

Carlisle gently probes with gloved hands. "It's very unstable at C4 and C5. Good thinking with this makeshift backboard."

Embry mentions, "Jake made himself the backboard when the bastard shoved Seth out of the car. Damned craziest move I ever saw, and by now I've seen some slick moves. Phased from wolf to man and threw himself under Seth and held his head still." All the wolves had seen it in Jacob's memory when he phased back in.

Jacob shakes his head. "I was too late. I was too slow. He took the hit before I found him."

Carlisle looks up. "If he hit his head on the ground falling out of a car with the ligamentous instability I feel now, which must have been even worse when it happened, then you saved his life. This vertebra and the one below it aren't attached the way they're supposed to be because of the blow he received. One vertebra could have slipped forward or back if he hit the ground, and his spinal cord might have been severed. And if he ever walks again, ever moves his arms again, it will be because you caught him and stabilized his head." Sue chokes back a sob and tears slide down her cheeks, but keeps her grip on her son stable. Carlisle turns back and slides the real backboard under Seth's side. "On three, roll him back. One, two, three. Okay, the collar and the halo have to go on. Wouldn't want to reverse your hard work now, would we?"

Carlisle and Rosalie slip the collar and halo on and secure Seth down with the straps. Rosalie stays at the head while Carlisle moves to his feet, and they transfer him to the gurney.

"Where are you taking him?" Leah's voice is blank and void of emotion, as is her expression. She is numb.

"The hospital. You can ride in the back. I can't see from the outside to tell if there is any other brain damage, or a subtle vertebral fracture, or loose bone chips compromising the spine," Carlisle explains.

Rosalie chimes in, "He needs plain films and a CT, maybe even an MRI. Depending on what we find, he may need a neurosurgeon."

Billy looks up in alarm. "And how will we explain his temperature to the staff, and why you drove him in without EMS?"

Leah glares at Billy. "Who cares? He'll get what he needs."

Billy nods, contrite. "Of course he will, dear, I didn't mean to imply otherwise."

Carlisle interrupts, "We'll enter through the service entrance. There aren't any deliveries coming in at this time of night, after all. It won't be too hard to avoid staff. Unless he needs surgery, we should be able to avoid involving anyone else. And luckily, our hospital is small enough that there is only one radiology tech on staff after nine pm. He'll be easy to distract." They roll him out to the ambulance and load him in, and Leah and Sue climb in after him. Rosalie gets into the driver's seat, and Carlisle opens the passenger door.

"Wait a minute," Jacob snarls. "Just because we appreciate the help doesn't mean you're going to get away without telling me where he went."

Carlisle faces him. "I don't honestly know, Jacob. I would tell you if I did. I understand that what he has done is unconscionable, and I will not attempt to defend it. We have properties in many places, and Esme can give you a listing. But he would not go there; he knows what we know, and that we will tell you. He has money of his own; all the children do. I do not know if he has used it to purchase a place to escape. Alice would like to help, if you will let her. Call her, and she can be here in a minute or less. She isn't far. I'll be in touch with anything we learn. About any of them." He climbs in the ambulance and pulls away.

Charlie turns to Jacob with a scowl. "Do you believe that he really doesn't know where my little girl is?" Jacob is startled into silence. He and his father had not yet explained tonight's events. "Did you think I wouldn't notice that she didn't come to greet you when you came in? That Seth is dying on the floor, and I'm supposed to believe she is just hanging out in her room, doesn't care to see if he's going to survive? How stupid do you think I am?"

Jacob feels like a toddler being reprimanded by Charlie Swan despite the fact that he could crush Charlie in an instant if he had reason to. His mouth opens and closes like a fish.

Charlie stalks back into the house angrily. "Well, keep taking, son. The only reason I didn't stop to ask, or to shoot you, is that you were telling me a lot of things I obviously needed to know a long time ago, and I figure I need to know those things if I've got any chance of seeing Bella again."

Half an hour later, they have finished the tale as best as they are able. Charlie frowns and looks out the window. "So we have some time."

"We think so. Unless something's changed, we should have until the day she was supposed to get married. That's when the vampires from Italy are going to come. Cullen won't try to change her until then," Jacob responds.

"Unless something has changed."

"Right."

"How do we find out if something has changed?"

Billy and Jacob look at each other. "Alice Cullen."

Charlie sighs. "I always liked Alice. Not so much, anymore. Do you trust her?"

Jacob hesitates. "Not entirely, but we don't have much else to work with. She seems to genuinely like Bella, but then again, Edward claimed to genuinely like Seth." Charlie stares at Seth's bloodstains on his floor.

"What other leads do we have, besides what the Cullens might know?"

"I don't know if it's just a coincidence, but the newborn who was trying to get Bella? We didn't actually kill it."

"There's no way in hell that's a coincidence." Charlie narrows his eyes. "But I thought you said you ripped every limb from the body and then decapitated the thing."

"That doesn't kill them. The pieces can reassemble. The only way to make sure they're actually dead is to burn the pieces," Billy explains.

Charlie is nauseated. "And the pieces are in my backyard?" Jacob nods. "Get them and bring them in."

Jacob calls quietly into the backyard to Sam and Jared, who still guard over the pieces. Sam enters bearing the head in one hand, and the torso in the other. The eyes are closed, and the head looks entirely dead. Jared gathers the limbs like so much firewood. The fingers twitch occasionally, and the toes curl and straighten. When Charlie spots the movement, he nearly vomits in disgust. Jacob turns to Charlie. "Don't get too close to any of the pieces." Charlie nods and looks green. Jacob instructs Jared, "Place each limb in a different corner of the living room." To Embry he says, "Make sure they don't climb toward each other." He turns to Sam. "I want the head in the middle of the room with the torso. Reattach them. Stay clear of the fangs."

Sam looks to Billy. "Any suggestions on how I go about doing this?"

Billy responds, "The legends aren't that specific, son. Just stick it on top and let's see what happens."

Since the body is made of a substance like stone, when Embry decapitated it, the head and torso separated with an even crack, much as if he had taken a chisel to a piece of marble. Reattaching them is apparently a simple matter of putting the two puzzle pieces together, and the eyes blink open at the same time that the mouth hisses, baring its fangs. It immediately whips its head around tries to bite Sam, but he has it safely secured. At the moment the head reattaches to the torso, the limbs begin trying to squirm toward the body. Charlie and Billy shudder visibly in disgust.

Jacob addresses it directly. "Tell us where she is."

"Where who is?" The voice is small and high, in sharp distinction to its vicious behavior.

Charlie steps forward. "Don't play stupid with us. There isn't any point. If you have any interest in having your arms and legs reattached to your body, you're not going to fuck around with us."

Sam changes his hold so that he grips it only by its hair, letting the torso sway back and forth extended away from his body. It looks patently absurd, and the vampire knows it.

"I don't know anything!" it protests.

Jacob signals to Sam, "Take it outside and rip the head off again. This is a waste of valuable time." As Sam moves to the door, it yells, "Okay, okay! But I really don't know where he took her!"

Charlie smiles darkly. Now they're getting somewhere. "But you know he took her." The vampire closes its eyes. It realizes it has already given itself away. Charlie continues, "Just tell us what you know. We'll drag it out of you one way or another. May as well be the easy way."

It frowns. "And as soon as you get what you want, you'll decapitate me again and burn me to ashes. Do you honestly think I'm just going to let you do that?"

Jacob walks over to the right arm lying by the sofa. The fingers grasp at the carpet, trying to pull toward the body. He lifts it in his hand, hefting it as if to test the weight. "You know, it would be hilarious to beat you with your own arm." He holds the limb like a baseball bat and takes a couple practice swings before the arm starts to flex and extend at the elbow in protest. "But not worth much as an interrogation tactic, I'd guess. Embry, start a fire." Embry does so, and Jacob points at the vampire's head with its own arm. "I have a question for you. But you don't have to answer if you don't want to." He runs one finger delicately along the back of the forearm. "Can you feel that?" The vampire reveals nothing. "How about this?" He starts to bend the arm backward, extending it fully, then bending it in hyperextension, and the vampire furrows its brow. He muses thoughtfully, "I should have ripped off his right hand instead of his left. It would have been a lot harder to drive off in a stick shift." He examines the arm. "This is your right hand, isn't it? Were you right handed, or left handed, when you were still a person? Do you even remember?" He doesn't expect an answer, and doesn't get one. He turns away and looks out the window and wants to know where his love has gone. He is done screwing around. "Want to tell me anything useful?" He waits a minute, but it says nothing. "Have it your way." He tosses the arm into the fireplace, where it immediately begins blazing, and the vampire screams and screams. The terrible sound doesn't stop until only ashes remain.

Jacob kneels in front of the swinging torso and head. "You see, I don't have to kill you. I could just mount you on the wall like a trophy, like hunters do with deer, just like this." He motions at the limbless creature. "Right above our fireplace at home. And when I'm bored, I could set your other arm on fire, or maybe one of your legs, from time to time, just for fun." He gives it a feral grin. "Or you could tell me everything you know, and I won't spend the rest of your miserable existence torturing you."

Charlie looks at Jacob with new admiration. This is much easier than a normal interrogation. He should train these boys as his new deputies.

Jacob steps back, and Charlie stoops down. "You know, during most police interrogations, I'm the bad cop. He's positively inspiring, though," motioning to Jacob. "What's your name?"

"Bree."

Charlie nods. "Tell us everything you know, Bree, and do it now."

The vampire looks at the assembled men and realizes there are no other options. "He approached me as I arrived at the scene of the battle, but the fight was already over. He could hear my thoughts as I approached, apparently, and he could read what I can do. He intercepted me before I was all the way there. He knew I would be executed by the Volturi and said he'd help me escape. But they already knew I was there. It was too late, but he helped me figure out a way to trick them. We projected an image of me to the Volturi that looked like Edward killing me, while we projected an image of the Volturi killing me to everyone else."

Sam pipes up, "I don't understand. The first trick I get. Faking your death to the ones coming to kill you. But why fake everyone else into thinking you're dead?"

"I didn't think you would have let me live either, nor could I be sure about the Cullens."

Billy asks dryly, "And Cullen did this with you out of the kindness of his heart?"

"Of course not. In exchange, I was to help him resolve his problem with you," it says, looking at Jacob. "He knew he was going to lose her to you ever since you got her to kiss you on that mountain. He wasn't just going to give up. He knew that her fear drove her decision to be changed. That all the threats against her life made her crave immortality, made her want to be changed into something stronger. The original plan was that I was to scare her further. Give her more reasons to be afraid to stay human. But then she started dreaming about you, and he wanted me to lead you away. If you were gone, he'd have her all to himself."

Jacob closes his eyes in frustration. Cullen led him around like a dog following a bone. He fell for it. "That's how I ended up in Canada. You ran, and I followed."

"But it backfired. She kept dreaming about you, she missed you, and she just wanted you back more." Jacob realizes that it is right. Bella broke off her engagement while he was away. Their forced separation made it clear to her how much she needed him to the point that she started seeking him out in her dreams, so that by the time he got home, she had already accepted his mark. She had already accepted him fully.

"What about all the bodies?" Charlie asks. "Frank, the deliveryman, and the hikers?"

"Food. I never agreed to drink animal blood. He didn't ask, and I didn't offer. He didn't care. It also gave me a chance to see what I could do. Up until then I only tried projecting images of vampires."

Jared speaks up. "Is there a difference? Between what you can do with images of vampires versus humans?"

Now it wants to show off. "I have the most control over the shade of a human whose blood I have tasted. If I have not drunk a human's blood, the image I project is hazy at best." It illustrates by throwing up a twin of Charlie standing in the doorway, but they can see right through it to the kitchen behind. "I tried once with Bella. Whatever sort of block she has against those kinds of powers worked against my attempt to show her a living human whom I have not tasted. She couldn't see it at all. Vampires are easier in general. I do not know why. I suspect it has something to do with being dead, for I also have an easier time with any dead human, even if I did not drain them myself." It startles them all by flashing an image of Edward himself standing next to the translucent image of Charlie. It looks so realistic that Jacob almost lunges for the throat. Finally, next to both of those, Sarah Black appears, smiling. Billy lets out a strangled sob, and Jacob reaches for the closest dismembered leg and holds it close to the flames.

"Stop it now, and never do that again, or you'll only have two limbs left." All three images disappear. "Keep talking."

"I didn't know what I could do with humans until I had the chance to experiment on Bella. You can't imagine how excited I was when I saw that she didn't just hear what the delivery man said to her, but even felt the box he handed to her as well. It served two purposes. I figured out what I could do, and I scared her, just like Edward had asked me to."

Sam says to Jacob, "I'm surprised that Bella's powers to resist vampire tricks didn't work against that illusion."

The vampire answers, "So was Edward. He thinks that perhaps what I am projecting is not actually an illusion. He thinks I have actual powers over the dead, and over those whom I have tasted. I haven't figured it out yet."

Jared asks, "And the hikers that Leah followed today?"

"Yes. They found the delivery truck. So I killed them, and they made a nice meal. Two, in fact. And I experimented with them, too. That's how I found out I don't need to kill a human to project an image of them. After I drained the wife, I wasn't so hungry that I needed to drain the husband yet. I had a taste and saved the rest for later. Leftovers, you know." It smirks until Jacob actually sets its leg on fire. It screeches in pain, and he puts out the flames by smothering them with the throw on the couch. It gasps unnecessary breaths, and then continues when it sees Jacob's glare. "I experimented to see what I could do. Turns out that just tasting his blood was good enough for me to be able to create a pretty realistic picture."

"And Mina?" Jacob asks quietly, although he is pretty sure of the answer already.

"Dead, not just sampled. At Edward's request. I'm not really sure why he wanted her dead." Jacob can see that it wants to say something else, probably something obnoxious, but thinks better of it and closes its mouth.

"Who was the vampire you sent after me in Stanley Park?"

"Just someone I met. She was bored, and I wanted to know more about what I was up against. I was watching from the water. If you killed her, I would get more information about how you fight, about what you can do. If she killed you, then it's all over. So it was a win-win situation."

"Were you watching when I killed the others?"

It frowns. "What others?"

"The three other vampires I killed in Canada."

It looks genuinely surprised. "I had no idea. Three? I suppose I never really stood a chance."

Sam comments, "This seems like a lopsided deal with Cullen. You do all the work, take all the risk, and he runs off with the prize. Like today. You take on nine of us by yourself, and he takes on one."

Her forehead wrinkles. "Yes. And I'm beginning to think he knew what today's outcome would be. But I had no choice."

Charlie narrows his eyes. "What did he have on you?"

"If I disobeyed what he said, he was going to sell me out to the Volturi."

Charlie glares at it. "What did you think was going to happen today? Assuming you both got away?"

"I was supposed to meet him in a cabin in Olympic National Park. Which I'm now fairly certain will be empty when you go there, either because he knows I'll talk to you, or more likely, because he was never planning on being there in the first place. But the original agreement was that I could get a taste of her. She does smell better than anyone I've ever met." Its eyes darken with bloodlust just at the thought.

Charlie redirects it. "He let you take the fall. He never had any intention of holding up his end of the deal. I'm sure the plan in his mind was to let you get ripped apart tonight, and to take her all for himself."

Jacob simultaneously feels more angry, as well as more exhausted, than he has ever been. "He has been manipulating all of us from the start." He points at the leech with its own leg. "You just as much as the rest of us."

There is a hard edge to its otherwise soft, young features. "You're right. He left me here to die. To be tortured by all of you. So I'm selling him out too. He told me something else. He didn't intend to, but I kept asking him to explain what he wanted. It didn't make sense to me that sending images of dead people to Bella would somehow result in her falling into his arms. I kept challenging him on it. I didn't see how me scaring her was going to result in her marrying him. Plus it seemed so unnecessary. They were already engaged. But he was scared you were going to steal her away. I just didn't see all the connections." Jacob has a bad feeling he knows what she is about to say next. It will confirm a suspicion he has had all along. "He told me that it had worked in the past. That he had used the tactic already. Apparently the first time he saved her life was from a car accident? He said that really happened. And that it was the first time she truly noticed him. He wanted the rush again. Wanted her focus back on him. Wanted to rescue her again."

Jacob whispers, "So he set her up."

The vampire would nod if it was in any position to do so. "He paid some thugs to threaten her in Port Angeles, and then he showed up, like a miracle out of nowhere, to rescue her. It worked. She was hooked, and so was he. He got addicted to it. He invited some other vampires up, and was going to save her from them too, but that apparently got out of control."

"James. The trip to Phoenix."

Charlie's head snaps up. He is apparently going to get all his questions answered tonight, one way or another. The leech goes on to confirm Jacob's suspicion. "James was not supposed to be allowed to feed from her, but Bella ran off without the Cullens, and James had no self control, which Edward did not expect, so then he really did have to rescue her."

Jacob murmurs, "Which resulted in Victoria." His unspoken words hang in the air. Which caused Leah and Seth to phase, that in turn killed Harry Clearwater. Which caused the newborn army. Which caused thirteen year old boys to phase, one of whom is, right now, lying in agony at Sam's house with two broken legs. "I always thought the Cullens ruined our lives, but I didn't know how right I was." He tosses the leg into the corner with a thud. "When Alice came to take her to Italy. Was that a setup too?"

"I have no idea."

"Mm. Do you have anything else useful to say?"

"Can't think of anything."

"Then tell me where the cabin is."

Charlie moves to get his gun, but Jacob stops him. "He won't be there. I'm just going to take a look. If I'm lucky I'll pick up a scent."

Charlie looks angry. "I'm not just sitting here, Jacob."

"But there are other leads to follow, and I can't really follow them."

Realization dawns on Charlie. "The other properties. The money trail." Jacob nods. "I'll get Alice and Esme Cullen over here. You go." They split up to find Bella.


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Wednesday night  
X-x-x-x-X

Before Jacob leaves to search the cabin where the newborn was supposed to meet Edward, he has Sam and Jared separate the head from the torso. He has to admit that the thing was rather useful, and might be so again. He is sorely tempted to burn the pieces and be done with it, but he suspects that the creature has not yet outlived its usefulness. For tonight he distributes the pieces among the wolves to safeguard until morning, when he will assign someone to purchase four heavy safes for storage, much like he did with Edward Cullen's hand.

When he leaves the Swan house, Alice and Esme are sitting at Charlie's kitchen table. Despite the setting, it feels very much like an interrogation, and Jacob sees a side of Charlie that he has never seen before. The two vampires, both older and much stronger than Charlie, squirm in their seats under the intensity of his gaze. It turns out that Charlie is very good at his job. Alice keeps tossing apologetic glances Jacob's way, but he is no more forgiving than Charlie is at this moment.

Then he runs.

He finally allows himself a moment of weakness. The wolf is desperate for his mate. He has just found her, fallen under her spell, taken her for his own and given himself over. Panic and anger course through the wolf. The man despairs. He spent his lifetime waiting for Bella. Waiting for her letters. Waiting for her return. Waiting for her smile and warm eyes. Waiting for the chance to make her laugh. Waiting for her to return his love. And finally, finally having it all within his grasp.

He made her happy.

And as quickly as it came, he let it slip away. Guilt and misery wash over the man. He failed her. He might as well have let Edward Cullen strap a collar on his neck and lead him around.

Embry follows and tries to placate him, while Sam, patrolling alone, gives them space. _Don't do this to yourself, man. There's no point._

_How can I not? It's my job to protect her. To keep her safe. I finally convinced her, finally had her. I had his throat in my jaws. I could have ended it all then. If I had, she would be at Charlie's right now._

_And we would have gone to war with the Cullens. Some of us would probably be dead right now. You just saved Seth's life, Jacob. You had a split second decision to make, and he's going to live because his Alpha caught him. But he would be dead right now if it weren't for what you did._

_I should have stayed at the house myself. Not left him alone to guard them._

_Then the newborn would have gotten there. You were the one who caught up with her, Jake. You were the one who figured out what she could do._

_And I fell for it anyway! I let Sam stare down nothing, and sent Leah chasing after nonexistent hikers!_

_Because it would have been just as likely for there to have been one or two real vampires mixed in with the fake ones. Which you knew. Which is why you had us be cautious. It would have been even worse if Bree had mixed up real vampires and fake ones just to throw us off, and you had no way to know that she didn't do that. Actually, it was kind of stupid for her not to do that._

_I know, but..._

_But you'll get her back. We'll get her back. Remember what the psychic said. There isn't a future in which she leaves you._

_But he might turn her._

_So let's go find her before he can._

But the cabin turns out to be as empty as expected. Cullen had been here at one point not long ago; his scent is rather fresh. They eagerly follow a trail leading east as light rain begins to fall, but it ends in another busy parking lot. Dejected, Jacob and Embry turn for home.

By the time they arrive, the eastern sky is starting to lighten. The sun will rise soon. They stop by the Swan residence and are only a little surprised to find Billy still there. They hear voices inside.

"I'm really angry at you." Charlie sounds more exhausted than anything else.

"I know. That's fair."

A sigh, "Thanks for sticking around."

"I'm not letting you do this by yourself." A pause. "I could really use a drink. Only at this point it would just make me fall asleep, and we can't afford to fall asleep."

Charlie mutters, "Counteract the alcohol with caffeine. Red bull and vodka. Coffee and whiskey. Rum and coke."

They hear a smile in Billy's voice. "Mountain Dew and irish cream. We'll give the recipe to the bartender in Oregon. We'll call it Charlie's Angry Juice." Charlie snorts, and then they both chuckle weakly.

Someone has kindly left extra clothes on the porch. The Clearwaters' sedan still sits in the drive, forgotten during the ambulance ride to the hospital. They smell the lingering acrid stench of the Cullens, long gone by now.

Charlie and Billy sit at the kitchen table with mugs of coffee in their hands and documents scattered all around them. Dark circles hang under both sets of eyes. Charlie looks like he had aged ten years in just one night, but he looks up hopefully at the opening of the door. Jacob just shakes his head and slumps into a chair. "Dead end."

Charlie narrows his eyes and says, "Not dead until I put a nail in the coffin. Tell me."

Embry and Jacob look at one another and begin. "The cabin was a rental. Cullen had been there pretty recently, actually. We could smell him. But it already has someone else staying in it. We even tracked his trail for a while, but it ended in another parking lot."

Embry muses, "He really did have this planned out. Pulled the same trick as yesterday. Switching cars like that."

"What was the parking lot for?"

"Uh, a strip mall."

"Containing..." Charlie prompts.

Embry starts rattling off, "A Chinese restaurant, a Dairy Queen, a liquor store, copy shop, computer repair place, um..."

Jacob takes over, "A pet store, bagel shop, a bank, and a gas station."

Charlie leans back in his chair with a renewed spark in his eye. "Now we're getting somewhere, boys. How old do you think the trail was that led away from the cabin?"

Jacob answers, "Three or four days old, maybe?"

Charlie pushes a pad of paper and a pen toward them. "I want the locations. The parking lots, both of them, and the address of the cabin. Embry, hand me that phone," he says, indicating the one on the kitchen wall. He pulls a scrap of paper from his pocket, and dials. "Yes, it's me. I'm going to take you up on your offer." He pauses. "Uh huh. Right." He waits. "Subpoenas. Yes." He nods, "I'll call back with the details. But we'll start with credit card data opened under any known SSN. Any other updates?" He frowns. "Okay, thanks." He hangs up shortly thereafter.

Billy looks at him with suspicion. "Friend in the DA's office?"

Charlie shakes his head. "Rosalie Cullen."

Billy frowns. "When did she make you an offer? And what offer did she make?"

"It was when the doctor called last night with an update." He turns to Jacob and Embry. "Seth sustained two fractures in his neck, um C4 and 5, I think he said? It was like he said last night, if they slip out of place they could damage the spinal cord itself. He said the cord looked bad, and if it were a normal person they'd be paralyzed from the neck down permanently, if they even survived. But he said with you guys, maybe not. We just have to wait and see. I guess there's also a lot of swelling on the brain that has to go down before we can tell if he's going to wake up."

"Shit," Embry breathes. Jacob thinks only that Seth has to wake up. He lost the car, he lost Bella, in order to catch Seth, so Seth simply has to wake up. Then he feels guilty for the thought.

What he actually says is, "And the offer?"

"Document forgery. They didn't exactly come out and say it, but they have gotten very good at identity theft over the years. Stolen social security numbers, forged birth certificates, fake transcripts, that sort of thing. A fake subpoena should be no big deal."

Billy understands. "Going to do a little investigating of your own?"

Charlie nods. "Gonna find my little girl."

"What can I do?" Jacob asks. Now he is the one who feels useless.

Charlie's voice is hard. "Once I find them, you can rip Cullen's goddamn head off while I start the fire."

"But for now, get some rest," says his father. He is about to refuse until he realizes that a dream may be his only way of contacting Bella.

"Um, is it okay if I clean up, Charlie?" He gets a simple nod in response and heads up the stairs. He hears them continue talking.

"Can I help go through this stuff?" Embry offers, pointing at the piles of papers on the kitchen counter. "What is it all, anyway?"

"Property deeds, mostly, to the various homes the Cullens own. This stack contains the other identities that Edward has been known to use. Somewhere in there are the accounts the family knows he opened. There are some other records in here, too. Medical degrees, college degrees."

"Okay. Do you have a map?"

Jacob ponders Embry's odd question as he quickly showers. He tries not to listen to the discussion downstairs. He stares at Bella's bed, despondent that she isn't curled up in it waiting for him. He crawls in, pulling her sheets over himself so he can bury himself in her scent and in her things. He stares at the door, willing her to walk through it. Despite his exhaustion, he has a difficult time falling asleep. The urge to go downstairs and help Charlie with his search is strong. The urge to leap out the window, phase, and run until he finds her, is stronger. Eventually he pulls one of her pillows out from underneath his head and curls up on his side, holding it to his chest. It is a pathetic substitute for Bella, but it smells like strawberries, and the feeling of something soft in his arms is eventually enough to lull him to sleep.

X-x-x-x-X  
Early Thursday morning  
X-x-x-X

_She doesn't remember approaching the little red house, but she finds herself rising from Jacob's small bed. He isn't there, and the room is cold. She parts the curtains on his window and looks outside, but instead of seeing his familiar backyard, all she sees on the other side is a heavy drape of deep blood red. She lets the curtains fall. She is cold. Terribly cold. For some reason, she is wearing a silken nightgown in a deep shade of blue. The bodice is fine lace with just enough silk to keep her from feeling completely naked. The neckline is high but essentially transparent, and the back is basically nonexistent. The lace trim of the hem sweeps the floor as she walks. It is lovely, old fashioned, freezing, and looks like nothing she would ever pick out for herself. She quickly shucks out of it and it pools on the floor at her feet. She tugs on one of Jacob's t-shirts to surround herself in his scent, pulls on some of his thick white socks, which are so big that she swims in them, and grabs all the blankets out of his closet. She spreads them onto his bed, climbs underneath, and tries to get warm. His rainwater and pine needle scent comforts her, but drives home the fact that he isn't there. She lies awake for what feels like hours, alone. But it is still better than when she is startled into another bed._

Bella is freezing. She wakes up to the sensation of a single cold finger running down the length of her spine, and a hard set of chilled lips press against the small of her back. She forces herself not to move, but all she wants to do is run away. She has been awakened in such a fashion before, but by a warmer finger, a lighter touch, and sweeter, softer lips. This feels completely wrong. Now her body knows what a loving touch feels like. Here there is only fear.

She wants to return to her dream and wait there for Jacob, but the cold touch doesn't let her.

She opens her eyes to poorly lit surroundings. She lies on her side on a king sized bed. The sheets feel like satin, smooth and cool. She can't tell the color in the darkness. She sees heavy curtains all around. It must be a four poster bed with the drapery drawn. She glances down at herself. Her regular clothes are gone, replaced with what feels like a silken nightgown with a plunging back. Ah. So this is the garment she removed in her dream. If only she had one of Jacob's shirts here to wrap around her. For that matter, she might as well wish that the body behind her belonged to Jacob as well. Especially since she knows that he must have removed all her clothes, touched her skin, seen her flesh, if she is wearing this ridiculous negligee instead of her own clothing. Once upon a time, not long ago in fact, that fact would have titillated her. Now it only causes revulsion. She feels the bed dip as he shifts behind her, and his cool breath on her neck. She shivers.

"I know you're awake, my love." She says nothing. "You have nothing to fear, Bella. Not anymore. You are safe now. Soon, all will be right between us again."

Her first inclination is to run. She knows there is no point in that, so she doesn't flee. Her second inclination is to scream at him for harming Seth, but she fears that will only worsen her situation. Is he even alive? What has Edward done to him? The last thing she remembers is seeing him slumped down in the front seat of Edward's Aston Martin with a wound that would have meant instant death to any normal mortal. Bella can only pray that his wolf's healing powers have somehow saved him. Then another thought occurs to her. Perhaps Seth is here somewhere? For what purpose, she can't imagine, but he was in Edward's car.

When she speaks, her voice is hoarse. Her throat is dry. "Is Seth okay?"

He actually sounds surprised at the question. "Seth? A once pure soul corrupted by the Quileute black magic. He was lost, I fear." Bella's heart flips in her chest. For several long seconds she hears nothing but the sound of her own pulse in her ears. His voice starts to register again. "I once thought that he and I might actually be friends. Such pure thoughts. So innocent and kindhearted. But the pack mind infiltrated his psyche. I suppose I should not blame him," Edward says thoughtfully. "Once Black took over as Alpha, his power over his packmates was great. It is no wonder that Seth fell under his spell. If Back is powerful enough to enchant you, you who repel not only my own abilities, but even those of the Jane and Aro, then what chance did poor Seth Clearwater have?"

Bella can't stand to know, but not knowing is even worse. "What happened?" she whispers.

"To Seth?" He still sounds perplexed by her line of questioning. "He was trying to keep you from me, Bella, they all were. So I did what I had to do."

Her voice catches in her throat. But she needs to know. "What did you do?"

But he isn't going to give anything away. His voice is falsely soft and reassuring. "I did what was necessary. I did what I had to in order to rescue you. So we can be together, my love." A hard edge creeps into his tone. "And I will do anything to restore what we had. What we will have again. And we will be happy, Bella, for the rest of time."

He pushes her onto her stomach and leans over her mark. His voice is a bare whisper. "I cannot rid you of his marks. And while you still live, I cannot rid you of his scent." He lightly presses his lips to the spot on her shoulder, and sharp pain blossoms there. She stifles a startled gasp, and suddenly finds herself on her back with him straddling her thighs. His good arm pushes her shoulder down into the mattress, and he hovers over her with a predatory look in his eye. But he holds his left arm conspicuously behind his back. His gaze focuses in on her breast. On the satin that covers her newer mark. And she is certain now that he has seen her naked. That he examined every inch of her skin while undressing her. It is the only reason he would know where to look. She is terrified, and fears he will mistake the rapid drumming of her heart for excitement, or worse, arousal.

She can barely hear him when he speaks again, but the sound is menacing. "If only he had left just one mark. I cannot erase a mark, but I can make it mine." Oh, no. He plans to bite her over Jacob's mark when he turns her. Her heart sinks. "I do not know if I have the restraint to bite you twice and not drain you fully." He heaves a little sigh and closes his eyes. She stares up at him in terror for long seconds, until his eyes blink open and gaze into hers. She cannot tell in the darkness if they are still topaz, or if he has damned himself wholly and they are red. "But I must. I must have the control, else you will be lost to me forever." His grip on her shoulder tightens painfully.

So is this her fate? One of the futures Alice has foreseen? Is he going to turn her now? Is this how she ends up living an angry, immortal existence? At least Alice gave her the hope that she might still have Jacob by her side. But she doesn't want that mockery of a life. She wants to live. She wants to go home to Jacob and her father. She wants to go to college, but only once. She wants to marry Jacob. Bear his children. Raise them to be like their father, teach them to avoid her mistakes. Wants to watch them grow as she ages herself, as she matures and evolves with her love by her side. She tries not to let tears well in her eyes, but doesn't really succeed.

But he moves off her, and her terror subsides just a little. "It does help that your scent is no longer so alluring. It is even worse now." He glares at her. "You should not have allowed him to mark you a second time, but I suppose it will make it easier not to drain you completely. And when I do that, you will be mine, and his foul scent will be gone forever."

He flashes back to bury his nose in her neck, right at her pulse point. "It is maddening, Bella. The underlying scent of you is still there, driving me insane, but shifted just slightly. It's him." He sounds positively agonized. Then he wrinkles his nose. "Actually, you smell like several of them."

She doesn't know what to say. Her voice cracks. "Leah and Seth." _And Jacob. My family. I smell like my family._Suddenly he whips open the curtains and yanks her to her feet, dragging her to the bathroom. She gets a quick glimpse of the room she inhabits. It seems to be a large bedroom with heavy curtains blocking large windows on the wall opposite the bed, a fireplace flanked by large leather chairs off to the right, and a bookcase built into the left wall between two doors. A clock on the shelf reads 3:34. Unless she slept more than a day, they couldn't have gotten very far. He pulls her through the door on the right, which turns out to be a bathroom tiled with gray slate which is dominated by a huge freestanding stone tub.

Edward opens the tap to fill the tub with water, and from the linen closet pulls out her strawberry shampoo and vanilla bodywash, and sets them on a table by the tub. She is relieved to see that his eyes are still golden. But her relief is short lived. "I want to wash them off you as best we can." Her heart thuds in her chest and she starts to tremble. Is he going to make her bathe in front of him? She can't help but remember the tender sponge baths that Jacob gave her in his garage and in his bedroom after making love to her. He would actually fit in this tub with her, it's so big. She knows Jacob would love to give her a full bath sometime. He has even spoken of the house he imagines building for her, and the clawfoot tub he wants in their bathroom for that very purpose. She prays Edward will not mar that experience for them.

He steps toward her and behind her. She feels his cold touch on her shoulder. His fingers slide under the straps of her negligee and he pushes them down her arms, first the right, then the left. It slips to catch around her hips, baring her breasts. She covers herself with her hands. She has to stop him. "Edward," she breathes.

He hovers behind her gripping her right arm tightly. It is going to bruise. She hopes she can get out of this with only bruises to scar her. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees him looking at her nearly bare form in the mirror. His eyes are black with lust. "Edward?" she whispers. She doesn't try to speak any louder. She knows her voice will shake. "I need a human moment."

He blinks and steps away from her. "Of course, my love." He goes to the linen closet and pulls out fluffy white towels and sets them on the shelf under the shampoo and bodywash. She notices that whenever he moves, he strategically holds his handless left arm in a position where she cannot see it. "I'll be just outside." She collapses to the floor in relief when he shuts the door behind him.

She tries to catch her breath, and pulls the straps of the gown back up over her shoulders. She doesn't bother to turn the lock, as she knows there is no point and will only anger him. She dumps an excessive amount of the wash in the tub to create a thick layer of bubbles. If he comes back, at least she can shield herself with them. She takes her human moment while the tub fills, then finds a glass in the closet and drinks from the tap. She fills the glass twice once she realizes how thirsty she is.

The tub is large and takes several minutes to fill. She finds a folded bathrobe in the closet. It is much too large for her, but she will be glad for the extra coverage. She feels almost naked in the negligee. Then she leans over the tub to part the gauzy white curtains blocking the window. She sees a large lake bordered by pines, and the shadow of mountains in the distance. She doesn't see other homes in view, but it is still quite dark. The night sky is blanketed in clouds, blocking the moon's light. It has started to rain. She can see very little else, but the ground looks as if it is probably three stories down. She lowers the gown and steps into the steaming water. She knows that no matter how hard she scrubs, her marks will still hold Jacob's scent on her body, and it comforts her.

She bathes efficiently, but then lingers in the water. Edward seems to be giving her some privacy, and she will take advantage for as long as she can. But eventually she hears him moving about the room and takes it as a signal. He would be silent unless he wanted her to hear. By then the water has gone tepid anyway. She takes her time as she dries off, and finds her brand of lotion in the closet and a hair dryer in the drawer, as well as a new toothbrush by the sink. She uses all of them, just to use up time, before she can come up with no more excuses to stay in the bathroom.

She steps into the cool bedroom wrapped in both the negligee and the thick robe. Edward sits by the fireplace, which is now lit. She takes a better look around the room. Past Edward is a door she had not seen earlier in the dark, which must be a closet. Unlike the bathroom, done in natural stone and granite, the bedroom is pretentious in a whole different way. The massive four poster bed is draped with blood red drapes and a gold brocade duvet. It appears he already changed the sheets, probably to rid the bed of the smell of wolves. The endtables look like French antiques, the chairs facing the fireplace are gilded leather with a pattern of interwoven leaves on the back, and a delicate oriental rug covers much of the hardwood floor. Jacob would hate it. The floor is chilly, so she goes to stand on the rug.

Edward just looks at her, frowning a little. "I didn't mean for you to put on that robe. If I had, I would have given it to you."

"I was cold," she explains.

He looks contrite. He hasn't spent time amongst humans lately and has forgotten their basic needs. "I'm so sorry, my love. How forgetful of me." He stands to adjust the thermostat by the door. "Here I have started a fire, but forgot and left the air conditioning on. Not very responsible of me, is it?"

"Are there socks somewhere?" The more clothes she can get on, the better. But she knows that even if she wears two sweaters and thermal underwear, she won't really feel warm again until Jacob's arms are around her.

"Of course, my love. Sit." He gestures to the other chair. He opens the door behind him, which indeed must be a closet, because he comes out with a pair of thick, itchy woolen socks. He kneels in front of her and moves to slide them up her feet, but then realizes he cannot with only one hand. So he just runs his finger along the side of her foot while she tries not to flinch away from the chill of his skin. But he notices anyway, and looks pained.

She is afraid of antagonizing him, so she says, "I'm just cold, Edward. The bathroom was nice and steamy, but this room isn't. I'm not used to the temperature yet."

"It will be better soon, between the fire and the robe you found. And soon enough we will be the same temperature, love, and you will no longer feel a difference." She smiles weakly at him, which apparently satisfies him. Does he really know her so little as to know when she is just trying to appease him? He is either ignoring it, simply biding time until he Chelsea arrives to try to sever her bond with Jacob, or he really doesn't know her at all. She is beginning more and more to think it is the latter. Not for the first time, she wonders what it is he sees in her. "And you will no longer need human food, but that day has not yet come. Let me get you something." She isn't hungry at all, is actually rather nauseated, but the thought of sitting here with him just making small talk and having nothing else to occupy her is even worse. So she consents.

She pays close attention as he walks to the door. The knob on the exit is shiny silver chrome and looks nothing like the others in the room. He must have replaced the knob. Otherwise, who would put an external lock on their bedroom door? Her suspicions are confirmed when he pulls a key from his pocket to unlock it. She gets the briefest glimpse of a balcony overlooking the floor below, but can't see anything else before he shuts the door. She hears not only the click of the latch, but a second small thud indicating another lock on the outside.

She stands quickly to look around. The door next to the fireplace does indeed lead to a closet, and a large one at that, luxurious enough to contain its own round sofa in the center. The back wall is occupied by a large window, but another cursory glance reveals it is still too dark outside to see anything new. She moves back into the bedroom. He could easily return in a second. She notices a telephone jack behind an end table, but Edward removed the phone. She parts the heavy curtains on the back wall and discovers French doors that open out onto a large balcony. She is tempted go out, but doesn't want to press her luck. She lets the curtains fall and looks at the bookshelves. Her eyes zero in on a leather hardbound volume lying on its side. Robinson Crusoe. She is about to reach out and touch it when she hears the slide of the external lock, and she has just enough time to step aside to make it look as if she was inspecting a different shelf before Edward opens the door.

He bears an ornate tray in his hands laden with food. He doesn't seem concerned by her movement to the shelf, and she realizes he could hear her movements from downstairs all along, and he apparently doesn't care. She sighs in relief until she spies one bowl of strawberries and another of cream, and her heart sinks. He sets the tray on the end table, parts the curtains, and turns down the covers on the bed. "Please, I want you to be comfortable, my love." He gestures for her to climb into bed. "I'd like to serve you breakfast in bed," he smiles. She protests, claiming that she is much more comfortable eating at a chair and table, and walks to the fireplace. There is a table perfectly suited to the purpose placed between the chairs.

"You know me, Edward, I'm a huge klutz. I'll just knock the juice onto the pillow and get crumbs all over the sheets. Let's sit here. It's safer." She tries to smile as if she is joking. He looks irritated, but sets the food down and sits on the opposite chair, pulling it close to hers. He reaches for a strawberry with his good hand and moves to dip it in the cream. Her stomach churns. Edward wants to feed it to her. It is a small thing, she knows, but she wants to keep pure her memory of her first date with Jacob on Third Beach. She quickly reaches out for a cracker and stuffs it in her mouth, chewing noisily and successfully ruining the moment. Then she tells a bald faced lie. "The cream and the strawberry together are too sweet. I think maybe I'm getting a cavity, because eating sweet foods started hurting one of my teeth a couple weeks ago." She knows she is a terrible liar. She is going to have to avoid any sugary food he gives her from now on just to try to perpetuate the falsehood. He frowns. She can tell that he can't tell if she is lying, joking, or telling the truth, but she still manages not to eat any strawberries, and he doesn't try to feed her any more food by hand. She decides it is a victory, if only a small one.

After she eats the last cracker, suddenly she finds herself being lifted to her feet. In stark contrast to the sudden movement of pulling her up, he stops with his hand on the tie of her robe. His pupils dilate, and he tugs it open, letting it pool to the floor. He gazes at her newly exposed flesh before dipping down to sweep her up and place her back on the bed. It would be romantic if he was the right man. Instead it's just frightening. He tucks the sheets around her, then the duvet. It isn't nearly enough to warm her, particularly when he slides in beside her. She lies stiffly on her back while he rolls onto his left side and runs his fingers up and down her cheek.

"You don't know how much I've missed holding you in your bed. Come here, my love." He slides his left arm beneath her and rolls her so that her cheek is tucked up against the crook of his shoulder. How did she ever find this comfortable before? It's like lying on a cold rock. A cold rock wearing an Armani dress shirt.

He breathes her in and murmurs. "It's not so bad now. I could get used to it, if I had to."

She jumps at the opening. "Would you, Edward? Would you still love me if I stay this way? You once told me that was what you wanted. A single human lifetime with me."

His grip on her tightens. His voice is weary. "How would that work, exactly? I get you during the day, and he keeps you at night? Or he gets weekdays, while I take weekends and holidays like divorced parents? I don't think he'll agree to that, Bella." She isn't sure she has ever heard sarcasm from him before. It doesn't particularly suit him.

"It's not all about him, Edward." She can say it because it is true, and the truth wouldn't bother Jacob in the least. "I've spent the last few weeks realizing what Charlie means to me. My human friends and family."

He laughs darkly. "Your new friends aren't exactly human, Bella."

"But Charlie is, and Renee, and Angela. Even Mike and Ben."

He sighs. "I can hardly fault you for wanting to stay in your parents' lives. But Angela? Mike? Ben? We both know that the one you want in your life is the mutt. If your parents were really so important to you, you would never have asked to be changed in the first place. What did he do? How did he steal you away from me?" He actually doesn't sound angry. He sounds plaintive. Sad.

She almost replies that Jacob didn't do anything. But it isn't true. Jacob did everything. He told her he loved her, and then he showed her what that meant. He fought for her and almost died for her. He showed her that her life was worth living. He opened her eyes to the potential of their shared life. She had always thought that she was boring, her life devoid of meaning, and that Edward had imbued it with purpose. Jacob showed her that her life was already full of wonderful possibilities, and promised to explore them with her.

So she tells Edward, "He showed me how important my life is."

He replies quietly, "I tried to tell you that before. You didn't believe me."

She had wanted Edward so badly that she was willing to give up everything for him. She was ready to give up everyone else, and is ashamed at her own behavior. But she cannot tell him that. Not now. "You were right. I just didn't see it."

"I can't walk this earth without you, Bella. I can't walk away from you. Do you understand that? I could stay with you as you live a human life, as I once asked of you. But now I know that you would walk away from me. His spell is strong. His magic is dark and powerful. I have to find a way to release you from it."

She almost replies falsely that there is no magic in Jacob, but that too is a lie. There is the obvious, of course, the magic of the spirit warriors, of the wolf. But that isn't the magic that drew her to him. That isn't the magic that keeps her enraptured. The magic that holds her is the warmth of his smile, the comfort of his embrace, the richness of his laughter, the passion of his love. He is wiser in his sixteen years than Edward is in one hundred and five. Jacob's magic is powerful indeed but it isn't dark. It is light. The air. The sun. Just as he had promised her.

She murmurs, "It isn't a spell, so it cannot be broken."

"Even by his imprint?" Edward asks quietly.

"I'm not going to live in fear of that. He might never imprint, or he might imprint and fight it, or I might lose him. In that, it isn't much different than any other relationship, Edward. Humans don't come with guarantees. If he was just a boy, it would not be so different. I could fall in love with him and he could fall out of love with me. I'll take the time I'm given." As the words come out of her mouth, she realizes it's true. As much as she once longed for a guarantee, one does not exist. Falling in love is a leap of faith, and there is no one better in whom to have faith than her Jacob. Has she figured it out too late?

"And when he leaves you for her?"

_Then I'll fight for him like he fights for me._ But she can't say that to Edward, so what she does say is, "I won't like it, but I'll survive." _Just like I survived when you left. _She thinks this knowing, of course, that Jacob himself was the reason she did.

Edward is silent for a long time. "I don't know how to do that." It's the most honest thing he has said to her tonight.

She lies uncomfortably still, pulled stiffly against him, trying to will herself to sleep. She can see through a crack in the curtains that the sun has just risen. Despite her exhaustion, sleep is difficult, for she fears that she will not wake, or that when she wakes, she will no longer be herself. But she knows there is a chance she will see Jacob in her dreams, or at least transport herself to his house, and it comforts her. She pretends that the arms wrapped around her are broader and gentler, that she shoulder cradling her is warmer and softer, and eventually she slips away.

_It is freezing outside. She needs shelter, and the house in front of her is the familiar little red one that she always comes to in her dream. But the door looks different. It's white and it has no hole for a key. It appears oddly familiar, but totally out of place. It suddenly makes sense when she opens it. Her own bedroom lies on the other side. And in the bed lies her Jacob, curled on his side, fast asleep. She approaches the bed with soft footfalls, and walks around it so she can see his face. He is clutching her pillow tightly and has a little frown on his face even though he is deeply asleep. It makes him look like a little boy having a bad dream. She reaches out her hand to smooth the wrinkle from his brow, and he unconsciously leans into her hand. He sighs and relaxes in his sleep. She smiles to herself, and moves around the bed to crawl into it behind him, tucking her face into the back of his neck. She breathes in deeply. It's the scent of home. She is warm for what seems like the first time in days. She shifts down a bit so that she can press her cheek into the space between his shoulderblades. She runs her fingers up the length of his arm, and then down again, and on the downward pass interlaces her fingers with his. She draws his hand in toward his belly and squeezes lightly. He squeezes back. He shifts against her and rolls over. He is awake._

_She tilts her head back to look at him, and sees a tear slip out of the corner of his eye._

_She can barely hear him when he speaks, gazing at her intently. "Where have you been?"_

_"I'm here," she replies._

_"You're here?" he repeats softly, his voice tinged with sadness and fear._

_"I'm here."_


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Thursday  
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_He draws her into his arms with a sigh of relief, and allows a few more tears to fall. "I was so worried. I was scared you wouldn't come," he mumbles into her hair._

_She almost tells him not to worry, but stops herself. Her jangling nerves and pounding heart tell her there is something to worry about. She struggles to remember what it is. She buries her face in his neck, gripping him tightly around the waist. She slides her right leg between his. She simply cannot get close enough to him. She is terrified, but can't remember why. "I'm afraid, Jacob," she whispers, but in his arms her frantic heartbeat begins to slow._

_"I know, honey. I know. But we're here now. I've got you."_

_The statement triggers something in the back of her brain. "But for how long, Jake? How long do we have?"_

_He frowns and clutches her closely. She's right. Their time is limited, but he doesn't know why. "Something's really wrong, isn't it?"_

_"Yeah, but I can't remember what it is."_

_He huffs out a breath. "Me neither. Everything's fuzzy. What's the last thing you remember?"_

_She lets go enough to roll onto her back and look up at the ceiling as she tries to recall anything useful. He props his head up on his right hand, wraps his left arm over her shoulder, and tosses his left leg over hers. He needs to be as close to her as she does to him. "Just walking through the door until now. Just the last few minutes." She looks at him. "Everything's clear in here with you, Jake, but outside..."_

_"What's outside?" He prompts._

_"Cold. It's cold outside. But I'm warm in here with you. And nothing makes sense out there."_

_He wants to help her remember. "Okay, well, you remember the door, right? Tell me about the door."_

_"It's just my bedroom door."_

_"Is that all? What's on the other side?" They both look at it with apprehension._

_"I don't know, Jake, but I don't think I want to go out there." She grips his arm with both her hands, willing him not to let go, clutching at him like a life raft._

_He frowns in concentration, staring at it as if he could see through it if only he tried hard enough. "Yeah. You're right. It's not safe out there."_

_"But it's safe in here, Jake. I can feel it."_

_He nods. "Okay, so it's safe in here, but it's dangerous out there, and it's freezing. Do you remember anything else, honey? Anything at all?"_

_Only one thing flashes in her mind. The little red house. Safety. "Your house. I remember your house. It's always where I come to find you, Jake. But the door isn't always the same, and the room isn't always the same."_

_Jacob knows exactly what she means. He recalls them with perfect clarity. "My bedroom, you mean." He looks around him. "Because this one is yours, right?"_

_She nods eagerly. "And one other room. It has dingy panelling on the walls, and an ugly carpet, and almost no furniture."_

_He laughs. "But a really big bed!"_

_She grins at him. "We made thorough use of the bed." Then she runs her fingers through his hair and pulls him down to kiss him, and they lose themselves in the soft, sweet touch of lips. He doesn't want it to end, not ever, but there are warning bells clanging in his mind. They can't stay here. He can't remember why, but they won't be able to stay, and they need to talk. Talking it out with Bella helps him remember._

_He reluctantly pulls away, and she pouts at him. He runs his thumb along her full lower lip before kissing her on the forehead. "I think we need to figure this out, honey. But all I really want to do is kiss you. You know that." His eyes darken and his voice falls to a husky register. "Kiss you everywhere. Taste your skin." He tips his head down to lean his forehead against hers, and his eyes close. He whispers, "Caress your body with my lips. My hands. My tongue." Her heart speeds up at his words._

_But suddenly he flops onto his back next to her. "But we're getting somewhere. I know we are. It's important. Because every other time we've been here together, you go away again, and I don't know when you're coming back." His chest constricts thinking about it. "Do you remember? I came to see you once, right here in this room."_

_She nods. A vividly detailed set of memories opens in her mind. It is one of the first things she remembers. She was lying in this very bed when she woke up to the feeling of his tongue tracing circles in the back of her knee. He spent the rest of the night using his hands, his lips, and his tongue to bring her pleasure, until she was ripped forcibly away. "It was wonderful, Jake. It was amazing, and then..."_

_"And then you were gone." He tugs her so she lies fully on top of him. He squeezes her tightly, willing her not to disappear._

_She raises her head up to look at him. "You came to see me that time. Not the other way around."_

_"Mm Hmm."_

_"How did you get in?" she asks. Does he find the little red house, too? But that doesn't make sense. The little red house is his house, not hers._

_"The window. I climbed in the window."_

_"Your house, or mine?"_

_"Yours, Bells. I climbed in your bedroom window." They both look at it. The curtains are drawn. No light filters in from the other side. They both get a very bad feeling about what is on the other side._

_At the same moment, they both say, "Let's look."_

_"Jinx!" He yells, breaking the tension. It is safe in here, and it's okay to joke. It's okay to be happy in here. And she makes him very, very happy._

_She pretends to frown at him. "Does that mean you get to hit me now?"_

_He smiles gently at her. "Never, Bells. But maybe I'll ask for a favor later." His smile turns into a lascivious grin. In retaliation, she uses her position to tickle him in the ribs. He squirms and laughs beneath her. "Wait, wait..." he wheezes in between fits of laughter. "Why is this... Why is this..." She switches to tickling his sensitive clavicles, and he bucks and thrashes his head. He snorts involuntarily and then laughs even harder. "Why... is this... happening... to me? I... I won... the Jinx!"_

_"Because I'm the boss, Jake," she smirks down at him._

_He grins. "You are the boss," and then he catches her wrists with his hands and brings her down for a kiss. He knows they are supposed to be figuring out what's going on, but he just can't resist her. She is soft and warm and tempting. She sighs against him and relaxes into his arms. Then he feels her the fingers of her right hand crawling along his flank, preparing to tickle him again. He grabs her hand with his and pulls it down against his thigh. "Nuh uh." He mumbles against her lips. She giggles and tries to tickle the part of his leg she can reach around his hand. "Hey now, stop that," he laughs._

_"But it's fun!" she protests._

_He concedes, "It is fun. You're right." Without warning, he flips them over so he is on top straddling her hips, and he swiftly pins her arms above her head with his left hand. He grins at her. "Now it's my turn to have fun." And then she is the one dissolving into helpless gales of laughter as his teasing fingers assault her flank. She twists and turns but can't get away, but he doesn't torture her for long. He stops and runs his right hand up along her side and grasps each of her hands in his on the pillow above them. She keeps giggling for a bit, and then she just looks up at him. The smile on his face is the sexy, sultry one reserved only for her._

_He doesn't want the moment to end. He examines her closely. Her long, wavy hair spread out beneath her. Her soft, pink lips, curved upward in a little smile. Her deep brown eyes twinkling with mischief. The barely visible freckles on her skin. He cannot remember a time when he wasn't in love with Bella Swan. And here she is, gazing up at him with love in her eyes. Flashes of memories start to surface, ones they made outside this room. Outside their little bubble. Bella getting out of her truck and laughing as he ran toward her. Grinning at him, seated on a crate in his garage, watching him work on their motorcycles. Her as a little girl walking on the sand in front of him on First Beach, turning to him to hand him a pretty shell with a happy grin on her face. Even younger, sitting in a mud puddle with him, smearing a glob of dirt on his arm and giggling._

_He wants to make more of those memories. And for that, they need to figure out what keeps ripping them apart. He rubs his nose against hers with little eskimo kisses. He brushes his lips lightly against her cheeks, and drops a tiny kiss on her chin. He scoots down and lays his head on her breast. "You're so soft. So warm," he murmurs._

_It triggers something in the back of her mind. Soft skin versus hard. Warm flesh versus hard. She turns her head to look at their joined hands, his dark fingers twined with her pale ones, and remembers even paler, sparkling skin. She feels his warm breath washing over her, and remembers cool, oddly sweet smelling breath. She lets go of his left hand and runs her fingers through his thick, soft hair, and remembers tousled bronze hair. "Jacob?" she asks. He lifts his head to look at her, and she meets his warm, dark eyes. And she remembers unnaturally colored golden ones. "I remember something. Someone. Someone dangerous."_

_He stiffens. He doesn't want to think about it, but he knows he has to. A name slips to the forefront of his consciousness. "Edward," he breathes. She nods. That's right. But neither of them can think of more when they are so comfortable in each other's arms._

_He rolls off her, and she steps out of his reach, and goes to the window, but doesn't open the curtain. She has more to say, so he is quiet while she gathers her thoughts._

_Looking at the window reminds her of something else. "I remember there were a lot of nights I just waited in your bed, in your room, Jake. And you didn't come. When I looked out your window, I saw a forest. Not your forest. A different one, with a stream." His heart sinks at the thought of her waiting in his bed for him, all alone. "And twice I came outside and I found you."_

_His leans up to look at her in surprise. He recalls one perfect night when he woke up as his wolf to find her curled against him, sleeping. That night he marked her. He starts to get aroused at the memory, but then realizes what she said. "Twice?"_

_She nods. "Once I found you sleeping under a weeping willow, fast asleep, as your wolf. I slept too." He has the vaguest memory of running, running far and fast, and dropping of exhaustion under the tree. He tries to unlock the rest of the memory in his brain. Where was he going when he ran? She continues, "What were you doing? Do you remember? All those times I waited for you, and you weren't there."_

_He stares at the ceiling. He should know this. It's in the recesses of his brain somewhere. He knows it is. He starts talking before he realizes what he is going to say. He sits up and swings his legs to the floor. "You weren't safe then, honey, just like you're not safe now. I was trying to protect you. That's where I was." And as he says it, he knows it is true._

_It is starting to make sense now. "It worked for a while, didn't it, Jake? That's why we haven't been back here lately."_

_He walks over to her and threads his fingers through her hair, cupping her skull with his hands. "It worked. We haven't been back here because we were already together. We didn't need to come here."_

_"How about tonight, Jake? I came looking for you, I know I did. Where did you come from?"_

_He frowns again in concentration, and closes his eyes for a moment. "Here, Bells. I was already here."_

_"Okay. Okay. What were you doing? Before you fell asleep?"_

_He knows the answer. It is somewhere in his mind. He just can't access any of the details. "I know what I was doing, Bells. I was trying to find you. Trying to find where you go when you disappear." She glances at the closed window again, and he follows her gaze. "Is that where you go?"_

_She shakes her head. "I just don't know."_

_He says quietly, "There's something on the other side, isn't there?"_

_She nods. "I think so. It's not safe on the other side, but we can look without opening the window. Just the shades."_

_He straightens up. "Allright. I'll look. Stay behind me, honey." He moves so that he shields her body with his own, and reaches out to pull back one curtain, just a couple inches. "Well, that's a let down," He is equal parts frustrated and relieved._

_"Hmph." She reaches around to part the curtains all the way. How ridiculous. On the other side are... more curtains. Blood red curtains. "I've seen those before, Jake," she says as she steps around him, pressing her hand to the glass. "Ouch!" She yanks her hand away. "It's cold."_

_"Frostbite cold?" Jacob asks, reaching a finger out to test the glass. To him it is very cold, but not painful._

_"It didn't hurt my hand, Jake. But when I touched it, it burned here and here." She indicates the mark on her shoulder and her breast. They still throb painfully._

_He turns her around to examine the mark on her shoulder. "It doesn't look different." He turns her back and lowers the strap of her nightgown just enough to see her other mark. "Not this one, either. Do they still hurt, sweetheart?" He presses his lips to each one, and the painful burn transforms into a pleasant ache. Then he moves her strap back into place._

_She looks up at him with wide eyes, and shakes her head. "It hurt until you did that, Jake. Now it's better. You made it better."_

_He smiles at her gently and kisses her forehead. "Good. I don't want you to hurt. You said you saw those curtains before," he says, indicating the red draping on the other side of the window. "Do you know where?"_

_One memory is vivid. The other is at the edge of her consciousness, just barely too far away to be grasped. "The last time I waited for you in your bedroom wasn't long ago. I saw those on the other side of your bedroom window as well."_

_He stands next to her pressing his large hand on the window, testing the temperature and strength. "Is that all?"_

_She shakes her head. "No, there's something else. Something important. But I can't figure out what it is." She taps her heel in frustration._

_"Well, I think the burn was a warning. You definitely shouldn't climb through this window." Bella agrees, but knows Jacob is tempted to go through himself and see what is on the other side. Or rather, who is on the other side. He looks back down at her, finally registering what she is wearing. He fingers the fabric at her waist and examines her. "Hey, honey?"_

_"Mmm?"_

_"You look beautiful, sweetheart, but what is this?" He thinks she is gorgeous no matter what, and the garment is pretty, but it doesn't look familiar._

_She frowns as she looks down at herself. She had it on the last time she waited for him in his bedroom, that much she recalls, and took it off to wear one of his shirts instead. "It's not mine, or at least, not my choice to put it on." She turns to the mirror. Looking at the negligee makes her want to cover up with more clothes, which is odd, because she knows how much Jacob loves her body, and she doesn't want to hide it from him. But she doesn't like wearing the gown. "I sort of hate it, Jake."_

_He grins and steps up behind her. "Then take it off, honey." He runs his index finger under the strap and lowers it over one shoulder, and then repeats the motion on the other side._

_It triggers a memory. Terror. Someone doing much the same to her, very recently. Her heart drums madly in her chest, and her mouth goes dry. A bathroom mirror. Slate grey tile. Fear._

_Jacob can see the anxiety in her expression, and ignores her lovely, half naked form in favor of turning her toward him and tipping her chin up to look at him. "What is it, Bells? Are you okay?"_

_"I remembered something, Jake."_

_"Yeah?" From the expression on his face, he probably isn't going to like the answer._

_"Edward? You were right, that's his name. He dressed me in this gown. And then he started to undress me, just like you just did. It scared me."_

_Jacob's voice is a low growl. He wraps his arms protectively around her waist. "He did what? Tell me, sweetheart. Tell me what you remember."_

_His embrace calms her enough so that she can think. She is safe here with Jacob. Here there is nothing to fear. She takes a deep breath. "A mirror. I remember a mirror."_

_"Like this one?"_

_She shakes her head. "No, like in a bathroom."_

_"What do you remember about the bathroom?" he prompts gently._

_She whispers, "We were standing by a great big tub. I could see his reflection out of the corner of my eye."_

_His heart thrums hard in his chest. "And then?"_

_He can barely hear her when she speaks. "And then he pushed the straps down, and the gown fell, just like it is now. I could see him staring at me in the mirror."_

_He squeezes his eyes shut and holds her tight, and tries to remember to breathe. "And then what?" He sounds agonized._

_"He left me alone in there," she recalls with some relief._

_"Oh, thank god, Bells. Are you okay?"_

_She nods. "Now that I'm here with you, I am." She wiggles her hips and lets the gown pool around her ankles. She wants him closer. "Make me forget about him, Jake."_

_He eagerly complies. He wraps one arm under her bottom to sweep her up, and she obligingly locks her legs around his waist. He slides his other arm around her back and buries his hand in her hair, pulling her close for a deep, open-mouthed kiss. God. She takes like heaven. And there is almost nothing between them. Her full breasts are soft against his chest. He can feel her nipples pebbling against his skin. He needs them in his mouth, and she wants him even closer. So he drops her on her bed, swiftly unbuckles his shorts, shoving them down his legs, and falls into her waiting arms._

_She is desperate for him. She needs his words, she needs his touch, she needs his love. She needs him to anchor her here in this haven, to keep her safe, to keep her whole. She wants him closer._

_She threads her fingers through his hair and grips tightly. He wraps his lips around her right nipple, just below his mark, and suckles deeply. Pleasure shoots through her, and she arches her back into him. He switches to her left breast, and teases it with the tip of his tongue. She yanks him firmly in so that he will increase the pressure, causing him to moan and gently use his teeth. She still wants him closer. _

_She starts to pant, and he releases her nipple with a little pop, scooting over to lave his mark with the flat of his tongue. She writhes at the sensation, unique and perfect. No one else can do this to her. No one else can make her feel this way. But she still wants him closer. _

_She tries to pull him higher, but he is too lost in the taste of her flesh. She whimpers a small, "Please..." and gets his attention._

_He removes his lips long enough to ask, "What do you need, baby? Anything. You can have anything."_

_"Don't tease me tonight," she whispers. She needs him closer. She needs him as close as he can be. _

_So she tugs him up and he settles in between her parted thighs, and she grasps his tight buttocks in her hands, and draws him close. The large head of his engorged cock slides over her clitoris, and he drags his shaft against her. She sucks in a breath of air and holds it as he repeats the motion. She becomes slick against him, and hot. He kisses her deeply and she draws his plump lower lip between her teeth, causing him to hiss. But she still needs him closer. _

_As he shifts down to drag his cock against her again, she tilts her hips, and he slips inside her with a deep, throaty groan into her mouth. She gasps as he slides in all the way. Perfection. This is what she wanted. His body covering hers, no inch of skin untouched, him buried deep inside her. The heat of his body and the warmth of his love surrounding her, covering her, within her. She holds him still, relishing the sensation of him filling her completely._

_Then she makes a mistake. She arches and squirms a bit, letting him know that she's ready for more. So when he pulls out almost all the way, hovering over her and staring her directly in the eye, his lifetime's worth of devotion to her washing over her, she moans his name when he thrusts back into her with a single, smooth motion._

And she is ripped forcibly away from her beloved. She finds herself tumbling over in the large bed, rolling and smashing into one of the bottom posts. Edward crouches at the headboard, glaring at her with a desperate look on his face. His teeth are bared in a grimace, and his eyes are nearly black in dilation. "Why? You are here with me." He flashes across the bed to hover over her. "He isn't here, do you understand? He isn't for you. You were made for me, and I will take you back. I will fix this thing between us, and we can be together."

She thinks he is going to lean in to kiss her. The thought of his cold mouth on hers, his rock hard body crushing her, when all she wants is the warmth of her Jacob, is terrifying. She wants to go back. But she doesn't know how.

"Edward?" she whispers tentatively. "I think I hurt my back." Which is true. When he threw her off him, and she landed against the post, she struck it hard. He blinks at her in in recognition and moves off her.

"Let me see." He rolls her onto her stomach. She can't decide if this is better or worse. His legs straddle her, seated just below her bottom, and a freezing fingertip traces across her back. "Oh no, love. It's going to bruise." His hand slides around to grip her by the waist, his fingers slid under the edges of her dress.

If it were Jacob behind her, Bella knows what would happen next from this position. He would tug up her hips, pull up her dress, lower his zipper, and slam his cock into her. She can tell that Edward is thinking about much the same thing from the tightening of his fingers on her waist. His voice is hard behind her. "Can I break his spell? He used his body to claim you. Perhaps I will do the same."

But something distracts him. Just as she feels his hand shift to start rucking up the negligee, a breeze comes out of nowhere, causing the bed's drapery to billow inward, followed by the harsh rush of wind that sounds almost like a scream. The air is warm. It envelops her. The warmth settles around her, and the curtains still for long seconds as Edward freezes above her. Then the blood red curtains of the bed start to sway and swirl with another howl of wind spinning around them.

Edward jumps off her in alarm, leaping several feet away to stand in the middle of the room. "Where are you?" he demands. "Show yourself!"

Just as soon as it started, it ends, the curtains settling down and the warmth suddenly gone. But not before she hears the faintest whisper of her name in her ear.

She crawls to the edge of the bed and peeks out between the parted curtains. Edward rushes out onto the balcony, searching for the source of the mysterious wind. He vaults over the rail and drops to the ground. Bella goes to see what he is doing, but in the few seconds it takes her to get to the edge, he has already circled the house twice. She hears the snick of the locks on the bedroom door, and he appears behind her and spins her to face him, gripping her arm in his one good hand. It aches, and she remembers that he bruised her in the exact same spot the night before.

"You startled me, Edward," she begins.

He laughs harshly. "_I_ startled _you_? What was that, Bella?"

She has no real answer to give him, although she has her suspicions. Her Jacob was here, for just a moment. She tries to keep the smile off her face. "I don't know."

"It must have been him, Bella. How did he do it?"

She breathes, "I have no idea."

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob falls face down into Bella's pillow with a groan and slams his fist into the mattress in frustration. He wants to scream. Because now he understands. It wasn't just a dream. What just happened was no fantasy built up by his subconscious, no wish fulfillment taking over his sleeping form. They were together. Genuinely together. He had her in his arms, had her flesh underneath his lips, her breath washing over his skin. They were together. And he foolishly let his hormones take over him, and she was ripped away.

His mind reels. But what happened after? He recalls each moment with precise clarity. He had her, right here in this bed, her arms around his neck and her bright eyes looking right into his. He was right in the middle of a perfect moment, the blissful sensations of her body enveloping his length, when she disappeared. He had frantically leapt out of bed and paced the room for several long, agonizing seconds, before he heard a voice. The voice of his mortal enemy, followed swiftly by the soft sound of his beloved, her voice small and tinged with fear. And worst of all, saying she was hurt.

The voices came from the window. From her bedroom window with curtains on both sides. He leaned forward to press his ear against the freezing glass, and his suspicions were confirmed. Bella was on the other side of the window. He opened it eagerly and slipped inside.

Oh, God. There she was. Pressed down into a mattress with terror in her eyes. Edward Cullen was seated on her thighs, his one good hand sliding over her skin, pulling up her dress, dark lust written plainly on his face. Jacob screamed, rushing forward to tackle Edward, but slipped right through him and through the curtains. He ended up startled, hovering in the middle of the bedroom, feet not touching the floor.

Jacob took in his surroundings in a matter of seconds. An ostentatious bedroom dominated by a four poster bed. A fireplace, two leather chairs with a table between, endtables, a bookshelf, and three interior doors. The clock read 8:46. And one wall covered almost entirely with curtains.

He looked back toward the bed and took a tentative step toward it. His feet still didn't touch anything. He moved his hand forward to part the curtains, but all that happened was that he realized he could see through his hand, which melted through the fabric rather than moving it anywhere. He pulled his hand back in alarm.

But his beloved was on the other side, trapped with a monster. He dove forward with another bellow, right through the drapery. He found himself whirling in a circle right above Bella until Edward leapt out of the bed. He moved to Bella, calling out her name.

And suddenly ended up here, falling back into this bed. He turns his head to look at her clock. 8:49.

He has to go talk to his father. Maybe Billy will know what's going on. He hears voices downstairs, and pulls himself out of her bed to find them.

He emerges into the kitchen. Billy and Charlie still sit at the table, pouring over the Cullens' papers, while Embry stands by the wall. He has pinned a large map there and already has several locations marked with more pins. Embry turns to him. "Couldn't sleep, huh?"

"Had a dream. Which is probably an important dream. What's that?" he asks, gesturing to the map.

Charlie looks up. "Kid's a natural. The red pins are the cabin and the two parking lots you guys found. The green ones are properties owned by the Cullens. Although we think it's unlikely that he took Bella to one of these houses, it can't hurt to have the information. We're going through these," he points to the papers, "to look for social security numbers. I figure maybe he might have opened up new credit cards that the family doesn't know about in order to pay for a new place, or maybe a new car. Unless he just stole one."

A knock at the front door interrupts them. Charlie goes to answer, and Jacob looks over his shoulder and is surprised to see Rosalie Cullen. She hands over a thick manila envelope. "Both gas stations, the liquor store, both banks, and the convenience stores had them. There are externals at the gas stations and the banks." She pulls a USB drive out of her pocket and hands it to Charlie. "If you get the files on these, we've got some pretty good equipment at the house. I can look at them for you. It'll probably take me a fraction of the time it would you. And I've faxed the paperwork to Citibank and Chase. Hopefully we'll get the statements soon. Do you have any more for me?"

"Yeah, thanks." Charlie goes back into the kitchen and scribbles on a sheet of paper.

Jacob gawks at Rosalie blatantly, and she quirks an eyebrow at him. "Um, thank you?"

Her features soften. "No one should suffer this fate. I'll do whatever I can to help you stop him."

"I thought you hated Bella." Normally he wouldn't ask, but he really needs to know if he can trust her.

"I did. When I thought she was throwing away everything important. When I saw her making the biggest mistake of her life. An irreversible one. But she came to her senses. I still think she's an idiot, don't get me wrong, but she shouldn't pay for that with her life."

"Okay, well, like I said, thanks. How's Brady?"

"The little pup? He'll be fine. Your brother-in-law took good care of him until we could get to him."

Jacob winces, "He's not my brother-in-law."

She shrugs. "Well, whoever he is. And Carlisle was able to give him some pain medication before he reset his legs. We learned a lot about how to give wolves medicine from you."

"I'm glad Brady didn't have to suffer through quite as much. We heal fast, but..."

"But breaking a bone hurts either way, and breaking two, or ten, or twenty..." She smirks at him. "...is still less painful than having your hand ripped permanently off your body. Have you burned it yet?"

He shakes his head. "No, I don't want to piss him off while he still has Bella."

"Makes sense."

"And Seth?"

"No change. But it's early yet. Give it time."

He is curious about this member of the Cullen family. Carlisle has helped a great deal, and Alice and Esme seem to have left a great deal of information, but this one is providing the most concrete assistance in their search. "You seemed to know what you were doing last night."

"I've had some some training."

"Ever put it to use before?"

"Well, no."

Jacob shrugs. "I don't get it. All that time to fill, and you guys just keep going to high school?"

She looks away. "Not exactly my choice. Emmett and I get away from time to time. Time for another change, maybe."

Charlie re-emerges from the kitchen. "Thanks for doing this. I'll get you the videos as soon as I have them."

She takes the sheet of paper and disappears.

"What was all that about?"

Charlie opens the envelope. "Subpoenas for the security cameras around the lots where Cullen's trail ended. If we get lucky, maybe we can pick up his getaway car. And it sounds like she already requested the statements for his credit cards that the family knew about." Charlie pinches his nose. "But I doubt he was stupid enough to use them. I wish I had a way to narrow down where he might have taken her. They could be on a plane halfway around the world by now."

Jacob contributes, "I think I can help with that." It gets the attention of everyone in the room. "Something we didn't explain last night. I can see Bella in my dreams." Charlie looks at him quizzically, clearly wondering how that could possibly matter. "But they aren't just dreams. She remembers them too. We're actually together."

Charlie's mouth drops open. He would stop to take the time to be amazed at this statement, but he simply doesn't have the luxury. His entire world has tilted on its axis in the last twelve hours. "And?" he prompts.

"I know she's alive, or at least she was when I woke up. I saw the inside of the room she's in. Unfortunately I didn't see much else. For some reason, when we meet in the dreams, we can't remember much that happens when we're awake. But when we wake up, we remember everything from the dreams."

Realization starts to dawn on Charlie. "So you can talk to her, but not just ask her where she is."

"Right." Jacob nods. "But if she's dreaming, it means she's alive, because vamps don't sleep."

Billy mutters under his breath, "Sleep would be really handy right about now," and rubs his face in his hands.

Jacob pours his father another cup of coffee. "But they have stopped. She's in a bedroom somewhere. I saw the clock in the room right before I woke up. It was the same time as our time. So she's in our time zone, for one."

"And she could only have gotten so far between last night and this morning if they stayed in a car."

"I think they were stopped for at least a little while."

Charlie pulls one of the chairs out for Jacob. "Sit down, son, and tell me exactly what's going on."

But before he can sit down, they hear another car pull into the driveway, and a knock at the front door. He goes to open it. Paul and Rachel are on the other side with a large pink box. Rachel holds it out. "You guys hungry? We went to the bakery and picked up some food." Paul has some icing on his upper lip. "I tried to stop him, but he already started raiding it."

Paul protests, "I bought them! So it's okay if I eat one!"

Rachel rolls her eyes. "Or three."

"There are plenty left!"

Jacob's stomach rumbles loudly, and Embry takes the box and puts it on the kitchen counter. "Thanks, guys. We're starving." Embry immediately stuffs a donut in his mouth, while Jacob grabs a ham and cheese scone for Billy, hands Charlie a blueberry muffin, and then eats two bear claws in under one minute.

Rachel puts on a fresh pot of coffee and pulls up a chair, and hands Billy a little bag containing his medicine and his glucometer. "Do you want me to drive you home, Dad?"

"In a bit, dear."

She looks at her father with concern. "You've got to be dragging by now."

Billy grasps his mug of coffee and lifts it up. "This helps. Plus, your brother was just about to tell us something. Go ahead, son."

Jacob swallows his second donut and turns to Charlie. "A few weeks ago, after I got hurt, I started having really vivid dreams about Bella." Paul snorts, so Jacob glares at him, resulting in absolutely no response. Then Rachel glares at him, and he looks contrite. Jacob continues. "I thought they were just dreams. I came over one day to try to convince her one more time not to marry Edward, or at least not to let him turn her. She sent me away. I took a run along the beach, and that's when I picked up that vampire's trail."

"Bree?" Charlie asks.

"Yeah, Bree. I chased her up to Canada. I got a motel room in Vancouver while I searched for her. Bella would show up in my dreams, but at the time I still thought that was all they were." There is no way he is telling Charlie Swan about the marking or the lovemaking, so he glosses past a lot of it. "But I talked to Leah one night, and she told me Bella was dreaming about me too. And they sounded like the same dream. Just like last night, though, when we're in the dream, we can't really remember much of our days. Everything else is really fuzzy. But when we wake up, the dreams are clear. Really easy to remember. Anyway, by the time I got home, we both had a feeling that they were real somehow, that we were really together. She had dumped Cullen by then, which you know. Since I've been back, the dreams have stopped. Until this morning."

Charlie frowns. "Why do you think that is?"

Billy clears his throat. "We have a theory that Jacob and Bella didn't need to seek each other out in the spirit plane since they had found one another in this one. So what happened in the dream this morning?"

"In the dream, I was lying in her bed sleeping, which is what I was actually doing at the time. She woke me up. It's not the first time that has happened. She often finds me asleep. Come to think of it, she normally finds me. Not the other way around."

Embry interrupts, "Have you ever gone to her? Or does she always find you?"

"I did go to her once. I remember."

Billy asks, "How did you find her?"

Jacob answers, "I looked for her in her bedroom. And that's usually how she finds me. She comes to our house. And if I'm not there, she stays anyway."

Embry asks, "What, like if you're awake?"

"I think so. So this morning, when she found me, I was sleeping in her bed, so that's where she found me."

Charlie interrupts, "So how do you know she's still in our time zone if she found you in her own bedroom?"

"We started there, but didn't stay there. So we talked for a while. We were trying to figure out what was going on. We both knew something was wrong, but had a really hard time figuring out what it was. Eventually we remembered Edward. Not everything, just that he was dangerous and threatening her. But then she was gone. All if a sudden. Just gone. It's happened before. I think if she gets abruptly woken up."

Rachel asks, "But you found her?"

Jacob nods. "I figured out she was on the other side of the window. I just opened it and climbed through, and then I was with her again. But this time was different. It never happened before. I could see everything, but not touch anything. I was floating in the room."

Billy is awed. "What did you do?"

"It didn't last long. I tried to scream. All that happened was that I moved the air. The curtains moved like there was a gust of wind. Edward knew I was there, and he yelled at me. I couldn't touch anything, though. And I knew he couldn't see me. Neither could she. It was so weird!"

"How was she?" Charlie is clearly terrified of his answer.

Jacob doesn't want to scare him, but he deserves the truth. He keeps it short. "Scared. Had a bruise on her arm from him grabbing her too tight. I wasn't there for long, though. One second I was there, next I was awake upstairs."

"Describe what you saw, Jake." He does so. Charlie jots down notes as he speaks, and afterward spends a few minutes scribbling calculations on his sheet. Then he goes to the map on the wall and pencils a curving line across the map.

Embry catches on. "That's the farthest you think they could have made it?"

Charlie nods. "Now we just have to narrow it down."

Billy turns to his son, "I think we should try something, son. We had better get back to the Rez. I need to talk to Old Quil." He turns back to Charlie. "We're going to see if we can get some more information."

"What, by sending Jake to sleep? Seems like the best way to get in touch with her."

"Something like that," Billy replies mysteriously. "What's your next stop?"

"I'm going to go get the surveillance videos from those parking lots."

Paul pipes up, "I'll drive you."

Charlie responds, "You don't need to do that."

Paul frowns at him. "Did you get any sleep at all last night?" Charlie shakes his head. "And are you planning on getting any sleep today?"

"Well, no," he admits.

Rachel asks, "How do you think that's going to work, exactly? You're just going to stay awake until you either find her or collapse?"

Charlie frowns right back at them. "I can't just sit here. Every moment that goes by is a moment that bastard could hurt her."

Rachel interrupts, "Just let him drive you. Sleep in the car, or don't, but this way you won't fall asleep at the wheel and crash into some poor bystander. How far are you going?"

"Port Townsend," Charlie reluctantly admits.

She looks triumphant. "See, that's two hours there and another two back. Just let him drive. You crash on the way there and back, and then you can be awake when you get back to actually accomplish something."

"Fine," Charlie looks grumpy.

Billy laughs at him. "You know better than to argue with one of the Black women, Charlie!"

Embry pipes up, "There's one more thing we should try." Everyone looks at him. "Jake, you should ask the Cullens if the room you saw belongs in any of those houses." He points at their other properties, two of which are within the radius that Charlie specified. As Charlie gathers up his things, Jacob calls Alice Cullen, but they don't recognize his description.

"Oh well, it was worth a shot," he sighs. "Emb, can you coordinate the patrol schedule for the next couple days? We don't need three wolves on anymore, but I'd definitely leave one to do a wide sweep. LaPush and Forks in one big loop." Embry nods, and the group splits up.

Jacob and Embry drive the Clearwaters' car back to LaPush, while Rachel takes Billy.

Embry asks, "What does Billy want Old Quil for?"

Jacob has an idea, but it isn't very well formed. "I think he wants me to go on a vision quest."

Embry looks confused. "They used to do those to find their spirit animals. You've already got yours."

"But before the spirit animals, before the wolves, the Spirit Chiefs could send their spirits out. Away from their bodies. I think that's what I'm supposed to do. I think that's what happened this morning, only I had no idea what I was doing."

Embry doesn't know what to say, but it makes sense. He leaves Jacob at the Ateara household and goes to drop off Sue's car.

When Jacob enters the house, Old Quil is alone. "Your old man said you would be here. Come in. He'll be joining us any minute now."

Jacob sits on the family's old, comfortable couch. "Did he say why I'm here?"

Old Quil nods and sits across from him. "You want to learn how to send your spirit out from your body."

Jacob nods. "Like the old spirit chiefs."

"That hasn't been done in centuries," Old Quil warns.

"I think I did it this morning. But I have no idea how." He proceeds to tell Old Quil what happened in his dream. "I have to find her. I could just go back to sleep and wait, and I think she'd show up eventually. But neither of us can remember anything. I think I need to try while I'm awake."

Old Quil stares out his living room window until Jacob wonders if he was even listening. Then, in a quiet, serious voice, he says, "Maybe you should try some weed." Jacob blinks at him until he realizes Old Quil is teasing him, and then they both end up laughing, which is how Billy finds them when he rolls in the front door.

"What's going on in here?" he looks at them in confusion.

Old Quil grins. "Just lightening the mood."

"Did Jake tell you what he needs to do?" Old Quil nods. "Can you help? I'm not familiar with any level of detail in the legends that would tell him how to begin."

"I read something in an old journal once. It was a little vague, but I think it's a beginning. Give me a few minutes. I need to gather some things. When do you want to do this?"

Jacob looks at his father. "As soon as possible."

"Meet me at the trailhead off Second Beach in an hour." He disappears into his kitchen, and calls out, "And bring your sister, some drinking water, and a sleeping bag."

Jacob does as he is told. He and Rachel arrive moments before Old Quil, who hands Jacob a huge backpack and a two folding chairs. He looks at it quizzically. "What's this for?"

"You don't expect your sister and an old man to sit on the ground, do you? That's your job."

Rachel laughs at him, overburdened with all their things. "You look like a pack animal, Jake! You're a donkey, not a wolf!"

Old Quil sets off down the trail, setting a pace neither of them expect from a man of his age. The trail winds slowly toward the beach, but halfway there Old Quil takes an unfamiliar turn. He points out an older trail that has fallen into disrepair. Jacob had seen this before on patrol, and had wondered if it had any significance. "Lead the way, young man." Jacob does his best to make the way passable for his companions. Eventually they reach a small clearing. An old firepit sits in the middle. "Make a fire, son." Jacob sets down the pack and chairs, and gathers firewood while Old Quil pulls a variety of items out from his pack. But the old man stops him once he pulls out his lighter. "Not that way, boy. Do it the old way."

Jacob looks crestfallen, but proceeds to make another fireboard. At least this time he knows what he's doing. It takes him half the time as before. Old Quil pours a thick, brown liquid out if a thermos and hands it to him. "All of it," he prompts. The mixture is foul and bitter, and Jacob nearly gags. It sits warmly in his stomach. "Lie down near the fire," he indicates with his hand. Jacob spreads out his sleeping bag and stretches out on top. Old Quil tosses some dry herbs on the fire, and a thin plume of blue smoke rises into the air.

Jacob lies on his back. He sees an eagle circling high in the air above him.

"Do you see it, son?" Old Quil asks.

"Yes," Jacob replies.

"I want you to focus on that bird. I want you to imagine that you are that bird. I want you to lift yourself in the air. Keep your eyes open." He begins an unfamiliar chant that Jacob has never heard before, and leans over Jacob with a paintbrush and a cup of black paint. Rachel looks on in fascination as he begins an intricate pattern on Jacob's skin. He pauses his painting. The tone of the chant changes, and they recognize the legend of Kaheleha in their native tongue. Not long into the story, though, he pauses to return to the unfamiliar chant, and adds to the pattern on Jacob's skin.

The sun rises in the sky as Old Quil chants. The pattern continues. Jacob keeps his focus on the bird above. He listens to the story of his ancestor, and he understands. Finally, Old Quil tosses another handful of the herbs onto the fire. Jacob feels himself rise with the plume of smoke.

_And then he is high in the air, circling the eagle. It twists away and turns east, riding the wind. He follows. Old Quil's voice fades into the distance. He feels the brush of wind as he flies past, but it does not chill him. The clouds break above him, and for a moment the sun's rays reflect off a sparkling river below. The eagle cries out ahead of him, and he looks toward it. It has dipped low in its flight. He sees a huge brown wolf beneath it. It is one of his brothers. Jared has paused in his run to look up at the eagle's cry. Someday he would like to pause to find out if his wolf brothers can hear him in this form. But the eagle is already moving swiftly along, and he must follow. He looks down often, seeing his home and his land as he has never seen it before. It is beautiful._

_The eagle dips low again in its path. It turns, spins in a current of air, and dives down. He should have expected this. It lands gracefully on the Swan house. Jacob lowers himself toward the structure. He knows what he needs to do. He hovers above the roof and thanks the eagle in his own tongue. It tips its head to the side and takes off in flight. He watches after it for several moments, and then he drops right down through the ceiling, not pausing in the attic, stopping himself short in her room._

_He looks to the window. The shades are drawn and closed. He leans forward through them, and passes directly through the plate glass window. He lands on the other side, tumbling into the ornate bedroom. He spies his beloved lying on the brocade duvet. _

_His heart breaks. She is crying silent tears, her eyes squeezed shut tightly. Jacob can hear her heart pounding with fear in her chest. Her wrists are restrained with thick industrial cord, each one pulled toward one of the bedposts. An ugly bruise mars her otherwise lovely right arm. The hem of her skirt lies tangled around her thighs. Her tormentor sits in one of the leather armchairs by the fire. Edward faces her, sitting still as a statue, face frozen in a grimace, eyes locked on her form._

_Jacob lowers his incorporeal form onto hers. He cannot loose her bonds, cannot strangle her captor, cannot lift her up and bear her away. But he does what he can. He kisses her gently with his spectral lips._

_Her eyes pop open in surprise, and she looks up, directly into his eyes._


	36. Chapter 36

Rating: MA for violence

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Thursday  
X-x-x-x-X

After the room settles, Edward is paranoid, his eyes darting about the room in suspicion. He pushes her roughly toward the bed. She falls back on it and he hovers over her. "Does he think that cheap parlor tricks will win you back? Does he think a gust of wind will deter me? A wind that lasted all of one minute? He couldn't possibly." His expression becomes grim. "How I wish your mind was not closed to me. Tell me truthfully, Bella. Did you know he could do that?"

This is an easy answer and requires no lies. "Honestly, Edward. I don't know if he can do that. He has never talked about it, and if he knew he could, he wouldn't keep it from me. I've got no way to know if it was even him."

He pushes off of her and starts pacing the room, his speed too rapid to look human. "Perhaps he sent a malignant spirit after us. Maybe it was one of the others. His father or a medicine man. Or perhaps they captured a vampire with such powers. Such a skill is not unheard of in our kind." He stops mid-stride to stare at her and narrows his eyes in suspicion. "Maybe it wasn't even them at all. Maybe it was you."

She blinks at him in surprise. "Me?"

"You are powerful, Bella. In a hundred years, no one else's mind has stayed hidden from me. I have never met a being who could withstand Jane's torture or Aro's touch. Maybe it isn't him at all."

A second later, he is out the locked door, but he reappears within seconds before she even has time to look out behind him. He bears a thick length of cord in his hand, and a dangerous-looking hunting knife between his teeth. She looks at him in alarm. "The knife isn't for you, my dear. I will have no need for such devices when I taste your blood." He unravels the cord and slices off two lengths. The movement is awkward with only one hand, and he has to sit and grasp the cord between his knees while he uses the knife with his hand. "I must admit that as a strategic move, I have to commend him on keeping my hand. This is a genuine nuisance. I am rather surprised he has not yet destroyed it." He looks over at her, curled into a protective ball at the foot of the bed. "But if he thinks it will change the outcome, he is fooling himself. Does he think I would exchange you for my hand? If he does, he seriously underestimates my devotion to you."

He stalks slowly toward the bed. "At any rate, until such time as I can trust you, I will have to restrict your movement. I suspect that more distractions are to come, and I cannot have you running off if I'm otherwise occupied." She scrambles away from him, but there is nowhere to go, and he is much too fast for her anyway. He bends his head toward her wrist, and she has a sudden terror that he is going to turn her now, and that the ropes are to bind her in place during her painful transformation. But instead he uses his teeth to assist him in tying one end of the rope around her left wrist, and secures the other end around the post in a similar fashion. The binding is too tight, and she knows it will leave a mark on her skin. Again, she prays that she can get out of this with only bruises to show for it.

When he takes her other hand in his, however, he runs his nose along the old scar left behind by James, and her fear ratchets up another notch. "Do you know, Bella, that this is the only place on your body that I cannot smell the mutt? If it weren't for that, I might worry that it was too late for us. That I missed my chance. That I lost the only reason I exist, and would spend the rest of my miserable existence regretting my choices." He closes his eyes and presses his cold, hard lips to the scar. She holds herself still and forces herself not to shudder, but she knows he can hear how quickly her heart has sped up. "But if the rest of your skin lives, while this is preserved for eternity, pure and without stain, I know that when you are turned, all traces of him will disappear."

He holds still for the longest seconds of Bella's life. Is he going to do it now? Is this how her human life ends? If it is, she is at least thankful that she realized and returned Jacob's love, at least for a short time. If all she gets are two weeks of bliss with him, at least she had that. She knows that it is more than many people get in a lifetime. And thanks to Alice, she will mourn the loss of a future she now desperately wants, but she will not mourn the loss of Jacob. She smiles a tiny, sad smile to herself at the thought. Then the smile turns darker.

Edward notices. "What's going through that brain of yours, my love?"

She murmurs, "Just thinking of how strong I'll be after I'm turned." For once, he hears her unspoken words. _Just thinking about how I'll be strong enough to kill you._

His expression hardens, and he moves to secure her other wrist to the post. He mutters sarcastically, "Thank you for reminding me why I haven't turned you yet. I had nearly forgotten."

She knows there is no chance to change his mind, but needs to try anyway. "Didn't Alice show you the outcome if you change me? It doesn't work, Edward. I'm still with him. I still choose him."

He runs his hand through his hair in frustration. "Why do you think you're still human, Bella? I know I have to break the spell first. Otherwise I might lock it in place permanently. And the thought of that is patently absurd. A vampire in love with a werewolf? Preposterous."

She thinks to herself that the only thing more preposterous than loving Jacob when she is a vampire is not loving Jacob at all. Now that she knows what it is, not only how good and right it is, but how passionate and true, there is no going back.

Edward examines her as if he could learn how to unlock her mind if he stared hard enough. "Tell me, Bella."

She looks back at him. "Tell you what?"

"How to break the spell!"

She sighs and drops her head to the pillow. "There is no spell, Edward."

He drops his own head in frustration and runs his hands through his hair. "No, I don't suppose he would admit it to you, would he? And he certainly wouldn't tell you how to break it. Neither would I, were I in his place."

She says quietly, "You were in his place."

She thinks to herself that if he pulls any harder he is going to pull his hair right out of his head. "And I threw it all away." He looks at her with agony sketched across his handsome features. "Walking away from you was the biggest mistake I ever made! I thought that after you came for me, that everything would go back to how it was before. But he did something to you!"

Jacob did do something to her. He opened her eyes as he opened her heart. He showed her the true meaning of devotion, of selflessness, of love. He reminded her of who she really was. He made her better. He brought her back to herself.

"See! You do not even deny it! What did he do to you?"

She says gently, "It isn't what you think, Edward."

He sits on the side of the bed, hunched over into himself. "Then tell me what it was."

"He was just my friend."

Edward snorts. "There was nothing 'just friends' about it, Bella. Are you really that naive?"

She starts over. "Okay, not just. But he was my friend. He is my friend. He reminded me how to laugh when I never thought I could smile again. When you left, there was this gaping hole in my chest, and it hurt all the time. He made the hurt go away." He filled it with himself, and now he's there. For good. "He just makes me happy."

"So why did you ever take me back, Bella? Why did you come to Italy for me?"

"Because I loved you, Edward. Because I wanted nothing more than to be with you. And I certainly wasn't going to let you die!" She can't quite believe she can say those words while he has her tied down as a prisoner in this room, but it is the truth.

"Past tense. Loved. Wanted. But you no longer want to be with me." His voice cracks. "What changed?" She doesn't bother to answer. It would only anger him. "You are my one and only, Bella. I will make you mine again. I will love you until the end of time."

His words sound hollow to her now. Not once has she understood what it is that Edward Cullen sees in her. And now that she actually understands what Jacob sees in her, she is only more confused about Edward. She finds that she genuinely wants to know, even if only to understand what is happening to her right now.

"Edward?" she asks tentatively.

"Yes, my love?" he says with a weary sigh.

"Why? Why me? I don't understand. All the girls in all the world. I never understood."

He looks pained. "How can you ask me that? I've waited for you for a hundred years!"

"For your singer?"

"Yes!" he cries. "No, not just that. Not only that."

"Alice was James' singer, but still his enemy. Victoria was his mate. Emmett had two different singers, Edward. Someone else will come along. And he loves Rosalie. Not his... prey." Her voice falls to a whisper.

"It isn't just that, Bella. I admit that that was part of why I noticed you in the first place. But it is your mind that intrigues me, Bella. Not your blood. You are fascinating and lovely as no one else has been in a century."

And she finally understands. Edward is inundated by the thoughts of everyone he ever meets. Constantly. He has learned to tune them out to some extent, but the cacophony in his brain must be overwhelming. Enough to drive anyone mad. But with Bella, silence. It must be a relief. Blessed quiet. Peace. But more importantly, he has no way to judge her as he does each and every other person. As Jacob has said before, thoughts are meant to be internal. Not to be broadcast to the world. The filter that each person places over what actually comes out of their mouth is important. Necessary. Edward is bored of everything. Bored of everyone. There is no mystery, no intrigue, to anything or anyone. It doesn't matter how attractive someone is, or how much better suited they are to him. Not Tanya, not Rosalie. Their superficial beauty disappears as soon as he can hear their innermost thoughts. Some sophisticated, most banal, some insulting and cruel, many dull and uninteresting, and all unfiltered. No wonder he wants her. She is the only being in a hundred years who holds any mystery to him. He can imagine her to be as he wants, and he has done so. And until now, she was entirely happy to play along. She begged him, literally, to remake her in his own image. What a rush it must have been. Her worship, her flattery, her tenacious dedication to be his, all unsullied by the actual thoughts running through her mind.

If only she could have opened her mind to him. He would have lost interest long ago, just as he has done with every other woman. She wistfully wonders what would have happened if he had not fixated on her as she did him. She could have just had the same infatuation with him that so many others have had before him, and it would have faded away without incident. Or if it happened quickly enough, she might have just gone on thinking he hated her as she initially did. And then Jacob could have swept her off her feet just as he was meant to. She idly wonders what that would have been like. Just falling in love gradually, simply, and passionately. He has said that they would have found each other no matter what, and she thinks to herself that he is right. How much time did she miss out on, pining after Edward Cullen? What experiences will she never get to have? Right now it seems like nearly all of them.

Of course, avoiding Edward would have probably resulted in getting crushed by Tyler's van, or being assaulted in Port Angeles, or dying at James' hand. No wonder he seemed so inevitable. She owes her life to him many times over.

If only he weren't so set on ending it. If only she hadn't begged him to, time and time again. He himself tried to convince her to stay human, and she didn't listen. And now it is nearly too late.

She clenches and unclenches her her hands. Her hands tingle from the compression of her bonds. "Edward, please. My wrists hurt. I can barely feel my hands."

He hangs his head in what actually looks like shame. "I am sorry, my love, but it is a necessary evil." He moves to the french doors and opens the heavy curtains, staring out onto the beautiful scenery below.

She is getting angry and sad all at once. "This isn't what you do to someone you love, Edward. This isn't love. If you really loved me, you would never tie me down against my will."

"It is his fault, Bella. Not mine. If he would only leave us alone, only leave us to each other, I would not need to stoop to such methods. Do you think I like this? Do you think I want it to be this way? I want only to restore what we had before." He moves to straddle her legs and caresses her cheek with his one good hand. "Don't you remember? Or has he clouded your mind so much that you cannot even recall?"

"I remember," she murmurs. Of course she does. Edward was her first love, and as such, would have always held a special place in her heart, had he not done this. Edward made her feel like no one had ever made her feel before. Treasured. Valued. Special. Her parents never made her feel that way. Before she moved to Forks, she felt ignored entirely. Perhaps the attentions of a nice, normal boy like Mike Newton would have flattered her if she had not been so blinded by Edward. And Edward opened up an entire world full of potential that she had never known.

But the price for access to that world was too high. And now she realizes that its attractions pale in comparison to the life that was in front of her all along. The life she was too naive to value when she had it. The life that Jacob wants to share with her.

He interrupts her thoughts and grips her shoulder eagerly. "Then join me, Bella. We can go back. We can have that again. If only you agree. If only you can let him go. I can change you now, today, and we can walk out of this place. Go anywhere we want. Do anything we want. No one to stop us. Nothing to hold us back. We can have eternity, and we can have each other."

Tears well up in her eyes. "Not this way, Edward. Not this way. If you turn me now, I'll be more bitter than Rosalie. More angry than Victoria."

He can read the truth on her face, and jumps off her in frustration, landing in the chair. He slouches in it and glares at her. He stares at her for hours, unmoving except to answer a phone call, for which he leaves the room. Who could that possibly be? Surely nothing good will come of it. Otherwise he is still. Eventually, sunlight filters in from the window, sparkling on his skin. He doesn't close the shades or move from his seat. He doesn't bother with the pretense of human qualities like fidgeting or shifting, or even blinking. He has no need of breath, drink, food, or even simple entertainment. He just stares at her. It drives home to her just how unnatural he is. It makes her terribly exposed, particularly since the lacy hem of her gown rode up high on her legs when he moved on her. She locks her legs together and tries to look anywhere in the room but him.

By mid-afternoon she can't feel her hands at all. Her back aches where she slammed into the lower post earlier, when he tossed her across the bed, waking her roughly from her dream of Jacob. He hasn't given her food or water since the night before, so her mouth is parched and her stomach empty. She is cold in the air conditioned room, lying on top of all the bed covers. She would will herself back to sleep if she could, try to find the little red house for a few moments of comfort and respite. Perhaps Jacob is there waiting for her. But she is too fearful to sleep despite her fatigue. Eventually her exhaustion and her fear take over, and she cannot hold back her tears any longer.

Edward's expression barely changes at all in response to her quiet weeping. But he notices a shift in the room at the same moment she does. The temperature rises a few palpable degrees. The marks on her shoulder and breast start to tingle. Heat settles over her, and her shivers still. Her tense muscles relax. She thinks to herself that perhaps she is on the blurry edge between waking and sleeping. In a moment, maybe she will open her eyes to see the little red house in front of her.

Instead, she feels the gentlest, softest caress on her lips, so slight it is barely detectable. She opens her eyes in surprise, and looks right into Jacob's eyes hovering above her.

It is the strangest sight she has ever seen. She can see right through him. His eyes are there, deep brown and full of concern. His strong jaw is set with tension, his brow furrowed with worry. She can see each feature right there. But she can also see the ceiling behind him, see right through him to the light fixture on the ceiling.

Has she lost her mind? Has she wished so hard for him that she is hallucinating his spectre above her?

Perhaps not. Edward frowns and slowly rises from his seat. Above her, Jacob holds his index finger to his lips in a gesture of silence. She stills and stares upward. Edward opens the door to the closet and steps inside, returning only moments later. He does the same to the bathroom. It is obvious that Edward cannot see what she can see, but he knows something is different. But he doesn't know what. He opens the french doors and steps out to the patio, then comes back in. He unlocks the door and steps out onto the hallway, then carefully latches the locks behind him. His footsteps recede.

Jacob waits until Edward is out of earshot, and buries his face into her neck and envelops her in an embrace. It feels like she is being cocooned by heat. The tingling in her marks turns into a pleasurable ache. She hears his murmuring voice in her ear. The sound is an echo, as if he is speaking to her from a long distance. But she can hear him. She has never heard anything more precious in her life.

"I'm sorry. I've got you. I'm going to find you. I'm so sorry."

"Jacob?" she whispers, still unbelieving. "Are you really here?"

He pulls back so he can speak to her properly. "Can you hear me, honey?"

She nods. She keeps her voice low since she doesn't want Edward to hear her. "What's going on?"

"I came to find you, sweetheart. I don't know where you are, but I came looking. I sent my spirit out to find you, like the original spirit warriors, and here you are. Thank god." He pauses to press another kiss to her lips. "I want to explain, but I don't know how much time I have. Edward will probably figure it out soon enough. I need to figure out how to get to you for real. Do you know where we are?" He lifts off her to look around, and for a second she is too surprised to answer. She just stares at his ghostly figure floating above her. "Bells? Do you know where we are?"

She shakes her head. "I passed out when he got me into the car. The last thing I remember is seeing Seth. Oh my god, Seth!" Her voice rises in anxiety.

He holds his finger to her lips. "Shh, honey. I don't want him to hear you. Seth is unconscious. Dr. Cullen and Rosalie are taking care of him. I'll tell you more if we have time, but first I have to figure out where we are. Do you know anything?"

"I've only seen this room. I looked out the window when it was dark, but that's all. But I know I woke up here at 3:30 AM, so we must still be in Washington. Or maybe Canada."

"Wow. That helps a lot. You couldn't have gotten far at all. I'm gonna take a look." His figure floats to the open doors, and she sees him hovering above the patio, peering from side to side. She is disconcerted to realize she can see the bannister and sky right through him. He returns after only a few moments. "I need to go out there. I want to see if I can find a street sign, an address, something. Will you be okay?"

"I don't want you to go, Jacob," she whispers. She is so afraid, and he is her only source of comfort. He lowers himself to her and she is enveloped by his heat again. "I'm warm with you here. In every way. It's cold and frightening otherwise."

"Oh, honey," he murmurs. "I know. But I have to get to you for real. Which means I need to figure out where we are. And I can't really fight him this way. Look," he says. He moves his hand to her wrist. "I can't untie these." His hand just slips through the knotted bindings and through her arm. It feels like tingling energy through her flesh. He floats up and examines her. "Um, the only thing I know how to do is create wind. Remember? It's in the stories, and I did it earlier today with the curtains. But I'm not sure how."

"That really was you!"

"Uh huh. But I was asleep still. Now I'm awake. Let me try something." He approaches one of the curtains and experimentally blows on them, and they flutter in response. "Huh. Well, at least I can fix your dress. Your legs must be cold." He twists to position himself above her, but faces toward her feet, and creates a gentle gust of warm air that blows her dress down her thighs.

She smiles and thanks him, and he kisses her once more on the lips. She loses herself in the pleasant, tingling warmth until he reluctantly backs away. "Honey, I really need to take a look around. I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"

She tries to put on a brave face, but fails. "Okay. Okay."

"I love you. No matter what. Remember that. I'm coming for you. Okay?"

She nods. "I love you too. More than anything. And I trust you."

He kisses her once more, and then he is gone. By the time Edward returns to the room several minutes later, he has not yet returned. The room is cold. She hears the slide of both locks, and her heart rate picks up. Edward enters, stuffing his phone into his pocket. She looks at him in trepidation. How much does he know? She decides to delay his questioning of her as long as she can. "Edward?" He just looks at her, his expression carefully neutral. It reminds her of Carlisle, but is somehow infinitely less pleasant. "I need to use the bathroom."

He blinks a few times, suspicious. But it has been hours, and is completely true. "Of course, my love." He undoes her knots with his teeth, and she rises stiffly. She tries to stand, but sways on her feet and stumbles back down as her vision temporarily grays out. She is dehydrated and dizzy. She sits still and tries regain her equilibrium and shakes her hands as sensation painfully returns to them. "Are you alright?" he asks, looking genuinely concerned.

"Dizzy. Dry," she replies, and totters to the bathroom. She drains two glasses of water before bothering to close the door, a difficult feat for her fumbling, still-numb hands. She will probably regret it later when her bladder feels like bursting, but dehydration is of greater concern.

"I am sorry, my love. I won't let it happen again."

She doesn't respond, since the only thing she can think to do is yell at him for tying her down in the first place. She just shuts the door so she can use the toilet in privacy. She hides in the bathroom for as long as she can. She even looks out the window to see if he can catch a glimpse of Jacob somewhere outside, but he isn't there. However, when she emerges from the bathroom, she hears a howl in the distance. It isn't one of the pack. Both she and Edward recognize the difference. It is a normal wolf. But it unsettles him and reassures her nonetheless.

Edward stands on the balcony. "I do like to hunt a good predator. Perhaps that will be my next meal," he speaks low under his breath. But he meant for her to hear him. She knows he does. He secures her to the bed again, but this time he ties her ankles together and secures the binding to the bottom post of the bed, and then ties her wrists together. She is afraid he plans on stretching her out and will tie her wrists above her head, but he does not, instead getting her a meal which she eats awkwardly with her hands bound together. Once finished, she rolls onto her side, facing away from him. From time to time his phone rings and he leaves the room to answer it. He does not explain why, and she does not ask. She tries to speak to him as little as possible. She is startled to realize that captivity is nearly as boring as it is frightening.

Later that afternoon, an eagle alights on the rail of the balcony. It leaves only when Edward shoos it away, circles several times high in the sky, and alights in a nearby tree. Edward stares at it suspiciously until it flies away, and then returns to his position from the leather armchair, staring at her intently. She keeps her back to him, but can feel his gaze boring into her.

Edward himself grows weary of her attitude, and eventually looks to the bookshelves for a distraction. Of all the works in front of him, he plucks her copy of Robinson Crusoe offstage shelf. He thumbs through it idly. She is simultaneously heartened by its existence, and heartbroken when her pressed daisy from Jacob flutters to the floor, and Edward notices the hitch in her breath and casually grinds the flower to dust under his heel. She wills herself not to cry, and waits for her Jacob.

X-x-x-x-X

_Jacob quickly circles the house. It is a large, three story single family home, no doubt the vacation residence of a rich family who refer to it inaccurately as a cabin. It sits on a large wooded lot overlooking a long, slender lake. On the other side of the lake lies a mountain range. From the sun's position to his left, Jacob determines that the length of the lake lies in a north to south direction, and the house sits on the southeastern end._

_Jacob circles the house, a modern structure full of glass. He sees no house number, but there is an unfamiliar car sitting in the garage, a black Range Rover Evoque. He makes note of the license number. He heads down the drive, a long, meandering path through the trees, to find a mailbox at the end marked 845. He doesn't see a street sign anywhere, but the road is a rural, two lane, winding street bordered closely by forest on each side. He shoots high in the air to get a look from above._

_As he ascends, he realizes that he can hear all the living things below him distinctly. Not only their calls, cries, and chittering, but the ruffling of feathers, shuffling of movement, and huffing of quick, small breaths. He can sense the energy of each living thing, great or small. There is a cornucopia of life below him. And at the center, the beating heart of his beloved. His mate. And next to her, an icy void of stillness. There is a lack of life, an absence of energy. His mortal enemy. Death._

_He rises higher. He can see a white sand beach along the southern border of the lake, and scattered roofs along the eastern side of the long, slender lake. There are a few boats and kayakers on the water. Mountains border the northern side. And on the western border of the lake, he senses a kindred spirit. He veers left to investigate, and flies over the water. He hears the strong beating heart of his kin before he sees it hidden amongst the trees. A lone wolf, male. Russet, like him. Large for his species, but nothing to compare to Jacob's Alpha. He sees it staring at him. He shifts his incorporeal form into that of his wolf, and his smaller brother squats down in a position of submission. He shifts back so he can speak with it._

_"I am Shípa."_

_The smaller wolf cocks its head at the sound of his name spoken in its original form. He switches to his native tongue. He explains that his mate is held captive on the south shore. The wolf understands. He, too, senses the unnatural predator within. He asks for the wolf's aid, and the wolf lets out a long, single howl of assent._

_But before he can explain fully what he needs, he feels himself being pulled back. He hears voices in the distance, and feels his spirit being tugged toward his body. He lifts in the air against his will. He isn't ready yet. He doesn't know where Bella is. But the pull is irresistible. He calls out to the wolf looking up at him from below, and asks him to watch over his mate. The wolf silently sets off toward her as Jacob rises up and away. He tries to take in as much as he can while he is still able. He sees a road to the east of the lake's edge, but none to the west. He climbs higher, and can see another large lake to the west, and an major road, a highway of some kind, to the south._

_And then he is falling. The scenery below him changes. The voices in his ears get louder, although the sound of rushing wind threatens to drown them out. He looks forward, and sees an eagle circling him. It is the same one that helped him begin his journey. It dives with him toward his body until he asks it to watch over his mate. The eagle turns east immediately, its broad wings extended on the wind. The forested land of his home rushes toward him, and he sees the strangest sight of his life. His own body in the clearing below, torso covered in an intricate pattern of black paint, his sister hovering over him, calling his name. Old Quil feeds the fire, and one of his pack brothers is speaking. The voices become clearer._

He drops into his body, sitting bolt upright and startling his sister, who gives a surprised, "Oh!" and falls backward to land seated on the ground. Old Quil and Jared turn to stare at him.

He dives right in. "I found her! She's alive. But I don't know exactly where she is."

Old Quil jumps right out of his lawn chair, fists raised in the air, and gives out a whoop of victory. "You did it! You did it! No one has done that in hundreds of years!"

His sister rises up on her knees and reaches out for him. "Are you okay, Jacob? I was worried. Your breathing got really shallow and your pulse slowed down. Really, really slow. You were getting cold despite the fire. I wasn't sure if you'd come back! So I started calling for you."

"I'm fine, Rach. See?" He spreads his arms wide to show her. "But more importantly, I found her. I wanted to look around more, but I felt myself getting tugged back here."

Old Quil interrupts, "You are looking at the first great Spirit Chief since Taha Aki, girl. Of course he's okay!"

Jacob's stomach grumbles loudly, and he holds it in his hands. "But I'm really thirsty and hungry," he says, frowning. "As if I just ran hundreds of miles without stopping."

"You did! You probably did go hundreds of miles!" Old Quil laughs and tosses him a bottle of water.

Jared is looking on with an expression of awe on his face. "Jake, I saw you, man. I was patrolling, and I heard the eagle cry, so I looked up. And there you were, right behind it. But I could see right through you. It was insane! What was it like?"

Jacob sobers. "It probably would have been fun if I wasn't looking for Bella. I have to get to Charlie. I have to let him know what I found out. Is he back from Port Townsend yet? What time is it?"

Rachel checks her watch. It is three pm. This exercise took much of the afternoon, although Jacob was actually gone for only a few minutes. He realizes that the trance he entered in order to separate his spirit from his body lasted for hours.

Jared answers Jacob's other question. "He got back a little while ago. I heard the car pull up while I was on patrol."

Jacob nods, eager to resume his search. He needs to get to his Bells as quickly as possible, before Edward gives up waiting for the Volturi and changes her. He stands and shakes Old Quil's hand in both of his. The old man has a strong grip. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Old Quil grins. "I got to be a part of the most important event in our tribe's history in centuries, Alpha. It was an honor. Thank you. Anyway, I didn't do anything. You did."

"What are you talking about? Without the ritual, I never could have done that. You made that happen."

There is a twinkle in the old man's eye. "The ritual? That's no ritual. I made that up."

Jacob's jaw drops open, as does Rachel's and Jared's. "You what?"

"You haven't been listening to me. Nobody has done this for hundreds of years! We have an oral history, young man. There are no centuries-old journals lying around. But the power was in you, Jacob. I just helped you relax and focus enough to access it."

"The chant?" Rachel asks.

"The story of Kaheleha, plus a lullaby my grandmother used to sing to me."

"The herbs?" Jacob asks.

"Pizza seasoning and some powder from one of young Quil's old magic sets from when he was a little boy."

"The pattern on Jacob's chest?" Jared points to him.

"Just a doodle. I like to doodle."

"So the fireboard was just because?" Jacob is incredulous.

"For focus," the old man replies, looking very smug. "Close your mouth, children. Flies are about to take residence. Don't you have somewhere to be?"

Jacob shakes himself, "Uh, thank you anyway? I mean, like you said, you helped me access it. So thanks." Old Quil nods with a satisfied grin. Jacob turns to his sister. "Can you guys get back okay? I want to get to Charlie's as fast as I can."

She nods. "Go. Go get your girl."

So Jacob and Jared run into the woods and phase. Quil has taken over patrol from Jared, returned from a trip to the Makah reservation to visit Claire.

_What the fuck, man! I leave for two days and all hell breaks loose!_

_I know. I know._

Quil senses that Jacob is in no joking mood, and simply offers, _What can I do? Just tell me._

_Keep doing what you're doing. Someone still needs to make sure there's nothing new out there. It would be just our luck for a couple of nomads to arrive right about now looking for a snack._

_Of course, man. But I want to help you find Bella. She's my friend too._

_Thanks. We're probably still going to be going well into the night. Come find me after your shift, and I'm sure I'll have something for you to do._

_Okay, boss. Good luck._

Jacob asks Jared, _Any news about Seth?_

_No change yet. But he's no worse, so that's good._

Jacob wants to go see him, but he can't afford to stop yet. They arrive at the Swan residence within minutes. Jared enters without a word. He doesn't know what needs to be done yet, but he intends on being there to do whatever he can. Sam enters moments behind them bearing six extra large pizzas.

Charlie sits at the kitchen table, new papers spread in front of him. He looks exhausted. Paul sits next to him with a highlighter in his hand, marking another stack of papers.

Jacob dives right in. "I went on a spirit quest, Charlie. I saw her. She's still alive, and she's basically okay."

"Wait, what?" Charlie can't quite process this news. The wolves sit down to listen to his story.

"That's where I went. That's what my dad wanted Old Quil for. We went into the woods and he performed this ritual. I sent my spirit away from my body, and I went to find her. I don't know exactly where she is, but I got some information that maybe we can use."

"But she's okay?" Charlie's shoulders slump in visible relief.

Jacob nods. "He has her tied up now, for some reason, but they're still in the same place as they were this morning. I talked to her. She could see me, sort of, but Edward couldn't. She could hear me. She knows we're trying to find her. I told her."

"Thank god." Charlie rubs his temples with his fingers. "Tell me everything."

Jacob reaches for Charlie's pen, and scribbles down a series of letters and numbers on a sheet of notebook paper. "That's the house number. I didn't see a street sign, though. That's the license plate number of the car that was in the garage. It's a black Range Rover Evoque. I figure it's probably the car he escaped in." Charlie takes the paper and nods. "And they can't have gotten very far. Bella said she woke up in the room she's in now at 3:30. So that line," he points to the map on the wall, marked with their search radius, "is probably too far out."

"Right," Charlie replies. "He took her around what, 9, 9:30 last night? And they were driving, so they could only have gotten about 6 hours away."

"He drives fast, Charlie," Jacob adds.

Charlie rises and stares at the map. "So if we're generous, they still have to be somewhere in here." He makes a smaller semicircle on the paper.

"And there's more. I saw a lake right outside the house."

Paul snorts. "So that's, what, only three or four hundred lakes in that radius?"

Sam smacks him upside the head. "Let him finish!"

"It was a long, skinny lake, and it ran north to south. The house was on the southeastern edge. It had a pretty major highway a few miles to the south, and a smaller road running along the east. The eastern edge had houses and was a little developed, but the western shore was all forest. The south side had a beach, and all along the north were mountains."

Paul admits, "Okay, that will narrow it down."

"And there's another large lake, also long and skinny, a few miles to the west."

Charlie instructs, "Paul, go to my study. Lower right hand drawer of the desk. There are a bunch of maps in there. Get the one that gives us a better view of this area. This one's way too big, but that description should help. A lot."

"What have you guys got? There's a bunch of stuff here," Jacob asks.

Sam answers, "Blondie's coming through, Jake. I think I may be forced to like a vamp. She faked a subpoena for Edward's phone records," he points to the stack that Paul was marking, "and his known credit cards, and already got the statements. There are a bunch of calls to Italy up until he stopped using his own phone a few days ago."

"The Volturi," Jacob replies, and Sam just nods.

"That reminds me," Charlie mutters. He picks up his phone and dials. "It's me. Jake found her, sort of." He pauses as Rosalie asks him what happened. The wolves can basically hear everything she says with their enhanced hearing. "It's a long story, and I don't understand it. He didn't even bother telling most of it to me. He'll probably tell you himself sometime. Well, he found a car, for starters. I don't know how far you've gotten through those tapes, but start looking for a black Range Rover Evoque, plates EJ6 L45. It's probably the getaway car, but I'd like to confirm that. Thanks. Oh, and does this number ring a bell?" He rattles off the Italian phone number that showed up on Edward's statement, while Paul returns from upstairs with another map in his hand. He pins it to the wall next to the larger one, and draws the radius on it as well.

With the more detailed map in front of him, it takes Jacob all of thirty seconds to identify the only possibilities. "Here! Oh my god! Here!"

Behind him, Charlie says, "Hold on. Jacob found something." Charlie stands and walks to the wall with Jacob. "It has to be one of these! Look! These three lakes." He points to three lakes, each long and slender, side by side, in the middle of the Cascade Mountain Range. "Keechelus Lake on the west, Little Katchess in the middle, and Cle Elum on the east. It has to be either Little Katchess or Cle Elum, since there was another lake to the west of the one I saw."

Paul points out Interstate 90. "And here, Jake, the highway running south of the lake."

They hear Rosalie interrupt, "Shit! Here it is! The car, I see the car! The windows are tinted, so I can't see in. But they drove by the gas station in Port Townsend at, um, ten thirty last night."

Charlie mutters, "You're kidding. You can't possibly be that fast." They hear laughter on the other end of the line.

She replies, "I'm watching all the videos you gave me, all at once, on different screens, in ten times normal speed. It didn't take that long."

"Jesus. You should join the force. You'd be unstoppable."

She laughs, "I am basically unstoppable! Oh wait, more statements are coming in on the fax."

Charlie tilts the phone down and explains. "Since we got the other social security numbers this morning, she already got subpoenas for credit card reports. It took her something like five minutes to type up four subpoenas, fax them off to the credit reporting agencies. She's got some more statements coming in now."

The wolves examine the map while waiting for Rosalie to examine the statements. Sam says, "Port Townsend is only, what, three, four hours from the lakes? It fits. It all fits. Now you just need a street name, and we're set. Hell, you barely even need a street name. Maybe we can just go smell them out. Or run along the lakeshore until we find the house."

Jacob is already itching to leave. But there are two possibilities, and he doesn't want to waste time searching the wrong lake.

Paul points out, "These maps aren't very detailed. You said there wasn't much built up on the west side of the shore, right? If we can get a better map, we might be able to tell. Where's the computer?"

Jacob sighs. Bella's computer is ancient. "In the bedroom. It'll take ten minutes just to get it up and running and get the maps up."

Rosalie interrupts from the other end of the line. "It's Cle Elum. My computer sucks less than yours does. By a lot. It's mostly forested on the west side, but Little Kachess has roads running up both sides. And Edward used one of the new credit cards at a grocery store there. Fucking bastard. He went and stole the identity of someone with my last name. Alias is Robert Hale."

Jacob jumps up. "That's all I need. I can find the rest just by looking. Thank you, Rosalie!" He yells at the phone from across the room.

"Hey," she replies, "I'm not deaf! Just go get her. Don't let what happened to me happen to her." Charlie holds the phone away from his ear, since now she is yelling right into his ear. The line goes dead, and Charlie stuffs the phone back into his pocket.

He moves to the counter, where his holster and gun rest, and straps them on.

Jacob protests, "Now, hold on, Charlie. I'm sorry, I know you want to go. I know you want to help, and that you need to see Bella every bit as much as I do. But a bullet from that gun will just bounce off him. At best it will do nothing; at worst it will ricochet off him and onto you or Bella."

"So I'll leave this gun behind," Charlie argues.

"He isn't a normal perpetrator, Charlie. He can run over a hundred miles an hour. His flesh is as hard as stone. You saw what we did to that thing last night. Ripping their arms and legs off doesn't kill them. You saw the vampire's arms. They kept trying to crawl back toward the body to reattach themselves. We fucking decapitated that thing, and as soon as its head got reattached to its body, it woke up again. If you've got a rocket launcher in the police locker, you could give that a shot. Or try a nuclear bomb. But the only thing we know of that will kill one of those things is, well, it's us."

Sam adds, "We're sorry, but if you come, we all know what will happen. He'll go after you, and you have no way to defend yourself. He'll either try to drain you or turn you. He'll use you against Bella. He'll use you against us."

"Actually, there's something I want you to do, Charlie," adds Jacob. "I ripped of Cullen's left hand. It's in the safe in my garage. I want you to wait there. I might need you to light the damn thing on fire for me."

Charlie grins, "Do I have to wait for permission?"

Jacob laughs. "Yeah, please wait. But here's the combination." He writes it on a scrap of paper and hands it to Charlie. "I'll call you if I need you to light it, or one of the pack will tell you. Don't try to touch it. The grip could strangle you or break bones. Just toss in a lit match. Okay?"

Charlie agrees. "Consider it done. Just bring my baby girl home to me, Jacob."

Jacob heads outside with his brothers. They move into the woods to phase. He quickly fills in Quil as to their plans. Quil offers to ask Collin to take over the patrol, and insists on joining them.

_And if you think Embry is going to be willing to sleep through this, you're out of your mind. _Quil is already on his way to get Embry out of bed.

Then Leah phases in unexpectedly. _Planning on leaving without me, Jake? Fat chance. _

_Leah, I thought you'd want to be with Seth. _

_I do. But I want to rip off Edward Cullen's balls off more. Just try to stop me from coming. _Her voice is a snarl. _Besides, we all know you're going to sprint ahead of everyone else. I'm the only one who can get there as fast as you. And you need the backup. You know you do._

_Someone else has to stay here to protect the Rez, the imprints, Seth and Brady, Charlie, and our families. We let ourselves get too focused on Bree all at once, and that's how we lost Bella in the first place. Collin shouldn't be here by himself._

_I'll stay_, Jared chimes in. He is a good choice, as his instincts are to make sure Kim is safe, and she is on the Rez right now. Jared heads back to LaPush.

Jacob responds, _Thanks. Set Collin up near my house in case we need to burn the hand. Everyone else in?_

They set off east, sensing Quil and Embry not far behind them.

As expected, Jacob and Leah quickly outpace the rest of the pack. Jacob can't help but run at top speed. He knows that Edward sensed his presence earlier, and he is terrified that Edward will have either lost patience or decided to leave before he can get to Bella. They also brainstorm ways to sneak up on Cullen, whose mind reading abilities will make it nearly impossible to catch him off guard. Jacob fears that Edward will turn or kill Bella as soon as he realizes they are close, and he will have no chance at all to rescue her. A plan begins to form in his mind.

It only takes about an hour to cross southeast through Olympic National Park, but they then have to take a slightly meandering path to get around Olympia without being seen. Quil jokes that they should all doggy paddle across Puget Sound so they don't have to swing so far south. Another hour after passing Olympia, they reach the Cascade Mountain Range, and are able to pick up speed again. After three and a half hours, Jacob and Leah approach Little Kachess Lake from the western side. It is far enough away that Cullen will not hear them. They find a clearing and stop. Jacob phases back to human and sits on the ground while Leah remains in wolf form, watching over him. One by one his brothers arrive, watching him in fascination.

He quiets his mind. He tries to remember the peace that washed over him when he lifted into the air on his first spirit quest. There is no eagle to focus on here; the eagle is watching over his Bella at this very moment. He looks up at the gentle swaying of the trees and loses himself in the rhythm of the woods around him. He focuses on his brothers' heartbeats. He listens for the sounds of life around him. The raccoons have woken and are stirring about. The squirrels have fallen asleep, but he can hear their quick, even breathing and rapid, steady heartbeats. An owl has just begun its day. He reaches out farther. Beneath the waters of the lake, fish are lazily swimming about. Frogs and toads lend their voices to the night. He reaches out farther. Across the lake he senses a family of deer starting to move along the water's edge quenching their thirst. Beyond them a fox chases after a rodent. He reaches out farther. And a few miles away, he finds the heartbeat of his mate. He realizes he is already floating, and has left his body behind.

He speeds toward Bella, and in this form, easily finds the house. A now-familiar smaller russet wolf emerges from the trees in front of him. He thanks it, and requests further aid. It assents. It wants the unnatural predator gone from its land. It turns to gather its pack.

He seeks the rodents. The rats and the mice, the squirrels and the groundhogs. They come. He seeks the mammals. The raccoons and the feral cats. The wild dogs and the deer. They come.

Jacob seeks out the nocturnal fliers. The bats. The owls. Then he wakes the sleeping birds of prey, the hawks, the kites, the falcons. They, too, want the Cold One gone from their land, and they gather to him. He seeks the peaceful, smaller birds. The songbirds and water birds. The pigeons and the doves. The large and the small. The eagle alights from its perch near the house, and starts circling above him, wherever he goes. It will be his herald.

The animals gather, and he flies back to his body, protected by his brothers and sister. He circles his still form, relishing the flight and the freedom once, twice, then drops back into his body, blinks awake, and phases into his wolf.

He looks up at the eagle, and it gives out a cry. The rodents pour into the house through all its nooks and crannies.

Edward hears the skittering of hundreds of tiny feet, and is alarmed. They climb up and up until he hears them in the walls of the bedroom. Then he sees them. They drop in through the vents, they run in under the doors. He starts to stamp at them mercilessly, but there are too many. Not a single one approaches the bed, and Bella looks on with fear and amazement.

The pack begins to run, sprinting full tilt toward Lake Cle Elum.

Jacob looks up at the eagle, and the eagle cries again. A hundred birds alight on the balcony. Edward hears them land and yanks opens the curtains with an angry gesture, pulling the rod right out of the wall and sending the drapery tumbling to the floor. At that moment the bats arrive, beating their wings against the glass. The pack arrives in range of Edward's telepathic power, but he is so distracted by rats biting uselessly at his ankles, by mice running up his leg, and by the thrumming of a hundred wings right outside his window that he does not notice. He continues stomping at the tiny creatures underfoot, but there are simply too many.

Jacob looks up at the eagle, and the eagle cries again. A cacophony of sounds fill the air. Dogs bray. Cats yowl. A twelve point buck rakes its antlers against the side of the house. Raccoons clamber up the drain pipes onto the roof, and then drop to the balcony below, where the birds make room for them and alight upward, causing the rhythmic sound of hundreds of wings beating against the air. The small mammals start to pound up against the glass. The sound drowns out Edward's ability to focus, and pack gets closer, still unnoticed.

Jacob looks up at the eagle, and the eagle cries again. The small russet wolf bursts through a screened window into the living room, its glass window carelessly raised to let in the cool night air. A pack of small wolves pours into the living room and bound up the stairs, howling. They throw themselves against the locked door.

The pack arrives in sight of the house, swarming in creatures great and small. Jacob runs faster than he has ever run before.

And Edward senses him. Senses all of them, and realizes he allowed himself to lose focus because of their menagerie of a distraction.

He stops bothering to brush away the rats climbing up his legs and over his pants, and grabs the knife. He instantly flashes over to Bella and swiftly slices through the rope binding her to the post. He tosses her roughly over his shoulder, jabbing his rock hard arm into her stomach. "He can't have you," he growls, and throws open the door. Two small wolves immediately barrel into him. He brushes them aside like so many mosquitoes, and tries to make for the garage, intending to spirit Bella away to complete his desired plan. He will turn her or kill her now if he has to, but he wants to wait until the last possible second in case he can get away with her alive so that Chelsea can break the spell before he turns her.

He stops trying to fight his way down the stairs and simply flings himself over the bannister, dropping into the living room below. But at that moment, Jacob flings himself through the open window, Leah jumping in right behind him.

Jacob doesn't bother trying to talk to Edward. They are well beyond words. He simply screams, _Now! _to Jared, and takes a great leap toward Edward.

Miles away, Charlie lights Edward's hand on fire, and he drops Bella to the floor with a startled scream of agony.

Jacob aims for Edward's right arm, trying to incapacitate Edward while also throwing himself over Bella's vulnerable form. But Edward twists at the last second, so Jacob ends up wrapping his powerful jaws around the only body part he can reach: Edward's left shoulder. He severs the entire left arm from Edward's body. Jacob's momentum carries him slightly behind Edward.

Leah sees her opening. Edward's left side is now fully exposed and facing her. She has a clean shot, and jumps forward, sinking her teeth deep into his side. She doesn't let go, and holds him in place. Jacob whirls around and sinks his teeth deep into the back of Edward's skull and twists his head, ripping it cleanly off the torso.

And then he freezes in horror. He can now see what Edward's body blocked from his view. Edward's right hand, still wrapped around Bella's fingers, her wrist sliced open and bleeding.

Teeth marks. Edward is all but dead. All they have to do is burn his body. But Bella has already been bitten.


	37. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Thursday night  
X-x-x-x-X

Bella senses a shift in the air at the same moment that Edward does. The atmosphere almost crackles with electricity. But the room does not warm like it did before, and Jacob's marks do not tingle. Is it something Edward did? He has taken several phone calls today. Did he ask the Volturi to come sooner? Her heart skips a beat in her chest.

"Edward?" She speaks tentatively. "What's going on?" She doesn't really expect an answer. He holds up his hand and furrows his brow in concentration.

"I'm listening." He pauses, but then shakes his head and frowns. "I don't know. Something is different, but I can't figure out what it is. I don't hear anyone familiar. But something is moving." He tugs at her bonds to make sure they are tight, and starts to pace the floor at an unnaturally quick speed. Eventually he goes out to the balcony and peers out intently.

Bella is heartened at the obvious concern on his features. Whatever is going on is not of his doing. But if Jacob was nearby, wouldn't Edward know? Perhaps it is not Jacob himself, but his spirit, doing something nearby. Edward does not seem to be able to read his mind in spirit form. Perhaps because his body is miles away?

She asks, "Do you see anything?"

He looks into the night sky. "The birds. There are flocks of birds that normally don't wake at night. And animals stirring. A lot of them."

It sounds odd, but it doesn't mean any more to her than it does to him. "A storm coming, maybe?"

"Or a threat." Edward turns to look at her. "But the animals aren't taking shelter, and they're not running away. It doesn't make any sense at all." He narrows his eyes at her suspiciously, then shuts the door and then resumes his pacing.

After several more long minutes, they both hear the distant cry of an eagle. Edward freezes, looking alarmed. "Black magic," he whispers, "But I cannot hear him anywhere." And then Bella hears it. The scratching sound of hundreds of tiny, skittering feet. In the walls. In the vents. In the ceiling. And then, under the door. Rats and mice pour into the room. And they all head for Edward. He stamps at them with his feet, tries to kick them away. But there are too many. So many.

Bella struggles against her bonds. She expects them to climb up the sheets and surround her at any moment. But they do not. They surround every inch of the floor except around the bed, giving it a wide berth.

Edward is not so lucky. They pose him no threat, certainly. But their tiny bites to his skin drive him mad even if they cause no harm. When they start to climb under his pant legs and ascend, he flails in a futile attempt to fling them off him. But they outnumber him. For every one he crushes or flings away, ten more assault him. Bella is horrified and fascinated all at once. The rodents make their way up his clothing. Several cling to his shirt.

Another minute later, they hear another eagle's cry, this one slightly closer than the last. The sound is rapidly followed by scratching and thumping sounds from the balcony. Edward fights his way through the sea of rodents at his feet and pulls angrily against the curtains, sending them tumbling to the floor. A hundred birds of all shapes and sizes have landed on the balcony. They stare at Edward. More land as he gawks at them. And then a newly horrifying sight: bats, hundreds of them, flutter down from the night sky. They throw themselves against the glass. Their wings thrum at the window. And all the while, rats and mice continue to assault Edward. A squirrel even clambers up his back, landing on his shoulder, until he flings it away with an angry swipe of his hand.

Edward actually screams in frustration in response to a third eagle's cry, and Bella can't resist a smile. They both know by now that it is some sort of signal. Bella realizes that Jacob must be coming for her, and despite the chaos around her, relaxes back on the bed. Directly after Edward's anguished yell, a thousand voices rise up. A din of conflicting caws, yelps, barks, howls, shrieks, and screams surround them. They hear the pounding of small bodies flinging themselves against the walls. The birds outside the window join the bats in flight, swirling around the house and diving toward the balcony. Then raccoons begin dropping down from the roof and try to claw their way in the doors.

Edward is in a frenzy. Arms flailing, legs kicking, yelling incoherently in rage.

And then the eagle cries one final time. They hear a crash in the living room below, and then the pounding of feet up the stairs. Something heavy throws itself against the door. It cannot be one of the pack, it cannot be Jacob, since the door holds. But Bella's marks begin to tingle. He is very near.

Unfortunately, Edward knows it too. He grabs the knife and slices through the rope binding her to the bottom post in one simple motion. And in a second motion, she finds herself tossed over his shoulder with it pressing painfully into her abdomen. "He can't have you," he growls.

Bella sees the chaos around her from the bizarre perspective of being upside down, trying to peer around his side. As soon as he opens the door she hears snarls and sees a familiar russet blur spring toward Edward's torso, and a second brown one as well. She is confused for a second. Did Jacob shrink? Edward slaps them away with a sweeping motion of his handless left arm.

They both yelp in pain when they hit the wall, but quickly recover and spring toward him again. But he is too fast for them, despite the flood of animals blocking the hallway. From her unusual position, Bella sees several more wolves bounding up the stairs as she bounces behind him uncomfortably. But when he decides to avoid the throng on the stairwell by vaulting over the rail, Bella sees the metal banister millimeters from her face. Her relief at not striking into it face-first is quickly replaced by the stomach-churning sensation of falling. Upon landing, her solar plexus slams into his shoulder hard, and she gets the wind knocked out of her. Her head also hits his rock hard back with force, disorienting her.

In her struggle to breathe and focus her vision, she doesn't see Jacob and Leah leap in the open window. But she can feel Jacob's presence anyway, and hope swells in her chest. Even being dropped unceremoniously to the ground is welcome when Edward screams in pain. She has no idea why, as Jacob and Leah are well across the room.

But not for long. Jacob flies at Edward, who twists toward Bella, teeth bared, aiming to bite her anywhere he can reach. At that moment, though, Jacob lands. Edward is yanked back by Jacob, and his left arm torn off. Edward screams in pain and rage. He grabs her left hand as soon as his limb is separated from his body.

Time slows to a crawl. Bella feels two things at once. The awful burn of Edward's teeth sinking into her flesh, and the impact of Leah's gray wolf slamming into them both. She meets Edward's eyes. He looks absolutely crazed. He knows it is all but over for him. He is surrounded by wolves; they can both hear the braying of the two packs, and past Edward and Leah the rest of the shape shifters jump one by one through the window. And Leah has him firmly locked in place with her strong jaws.

But she sees now that he will never let her go. He will trap her here in a state of near-death, even if he cannot be with her. He will do anything to prevent her from being truly happy with his last jealous act. He will do anything to keep her from Jacob.

But as her arm burns, venom coursing through her veins, she sees Jacob's huge jaw envelop the back of Edward's head. As Jacob's teeth sink into Edward's skull, Edward involuntarily releases his jaw, and she pulls her arm to cradle it against her chest. A screeching metallic ripping sound fills the air as Edward is decapitated.

Bella gasps for breath as crippling pain threatens to overwhelm her. Her left wrist is on fire. She would scream, but the sound catches in her throat before it can make its way past her lips.

A beloved set of warm brown eyes appears above her, and a gentle touch replaces the cold one gripping her fingertips. Jacob is here. And despite the haze of pain blazing through her arm, she is comforted. He will be here to watch over her during her transformation. She will not be alone. And he will keep her safe, or rather, keep others safe from her. He won't let her become a murderer.

She hears a steady, soft mantra of, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no," and sees Jacob's mouth moving. Then his warm lips press against her forehead. "I won't let this happen, baby."

"Jake?" she asks.

Tears fall down his cheeks. He cradles her injured wrist and kisses it softly. "Do you trust me, honey?" he asks, his voice gentle and full of worry.

"Of course," she grits out between clenched teeth.

"I'll love you forever, sweetheart. And I'll always be with you, okay? No matter what."

"Okay. Okay." She breathes through her pain, which sweeps up her arm and into her shoulder. She is only vaguely aware of what is going on around her. She senses movement all throughout the house, but cannot distinguish between the wild animals, who are gradually dispersing, and the pack brothers dropping in the window. He lowers his mouth to her wrist and starts to draw out the venom before she realizes what is going on. Her pain recedes slightly, enough for her to see Embry and Paul dismantling Edward, while Quil lights a fire in the fireplace.

Leah, who has phased back as well, immediately yells and shoves at Jacob, but he will not be moved. "What the fuck are you doing? That stuff is poison, Jake." Bella tries to pull away, but Jacob doesn't let her go. Is the venom going to kill him? Is that why he asked for her trust? Suddenly his otherwise comforting words sound like a farewell.

She groans, "Jake, no, let go," but he continues. Then Sam's huge, black wolf barrels Jacob out of the way and off of her. Jacob is strong in human form, but Sam's wolf is stronger. Leah screams, "Spit it out, Jake! Don't let it absorb into your bloodstream."

Bella's arm had started to feel marginally better at Jacob's action, but the burning starts to spread again. She sees Jacob struggling against the large black wolf. "I have to! I won't let it happen!"

But a flash of white streaks through the window, startling all of them. Bella feels a cold, hard hand on hers and freezing lips on her wrist, and flinches. Has Edward reassembled himself?

No. As she feels the burning start to recede again, she looks down to see blonde hair. Rosalie drains the venom from her arm over the next minute. Then Rosalie sits back on her heels, delicately wipes her mouth, and looks Bella directly in the eye. "We all just gave you your life back. Don't fuck it up. Don't you dare waste it."

Bella promptly passes out.

Jacob rushes to her side. "Bells? Bells?" before gripping his stomach in a spasm of pain, doubling over and clutching his belly.

Rosalie tugs him to his feet, then hands Leah a cotton throw blanket that she pulled from the couch. "Hold pressure on that wound. She'll be fine. Despite her stupidity and bad judgement, she somehow always is. That girl faints if the wind blows the wrong way. You know that. Not to mention that the sight of blood makes her sick. I can't believe she didn't think about that when she asked Edward to turn her. What did she think she was going to eat?" She steers him toward the bathroom. "And that was really stupid of you, you know. Edward managed to inject a really hefty dose of venom. I don't know how much it would take to kill you. It would be a fascinating experiment to see how long it takes to get from your stomach to your bloodstream, but let's conduct that test another time, shall we?"

Leah moves to cradle Bella's head on her legs and says to no one in particular, "I think I sort of like her," and tries not to listen to Jacob retching in the bathroom. Acrid smoke fills the air as the pack tosses Edward's body parts into the fire. The stench drives the remaining wild animals out of the house in a bizarre exodus. The normal wolves all stop to look at the shifters before they leap one by one out the window. The russet one is last. It approaches Bella, nuzzles its nose against her belly, and hovers protectively over her.

"So fucking weird!" Quil mutters.

Jacob emerges from the bathroom looking a little green, but otherwise well. "You'll live," Rosalie announces. "So will she." She gestures at Bella's unconscious form.

Leah snorts, "Until the next disaster." Jacob looks crestfallen. "Too soon?" Leah asks. Rosalie laughs in amusement and wanders up the stairs.

Jacob scratches the wolf behind its ears, tells it that Bella will be okay, and thanks it for its assistance while his brothers look on. It gives a bark and leaps gracefully out the window.

Jacob kneels over Bella and takes her good right hand in his, and kisses the knuckles. He stares down at her freshly injured left wrist, resting in Leah's grip. Now she is going to have matching scars on each side. Leah sees him looking intently at the wound. "Hey, at least she's around to get scars," Leah states softly.

"You're right. You're right." Jacob feels relieved and guilty and anxious all at once. His Bells will be all right, at least for now, but it was his fault that she was taken in the first place, and she is still in danger. It's just a bit too much, so he lays his head on her chest to listen to her now steady heartbeat. It is still a bit fast, but it's there. And that's all that really counts.

Rosalie appears a moment later with a box and a bowl of warm water. "Found a first aid kit. Can I take a look?" She kneels by Bella's still unconscious form and examines the wound.

"You followed us?" Leah asks. Rosalie just nods. "How'd you know?"

Rosalie shrugs and cleans the wound thoroughly and declares that it doesn't require stitches, and replies, "I wasn't sure that I needed to. But I figured he'd hear you coming from miles away. Thought you might need me. I didn't say I was coming since I figured he'd overhear in your minds. I hoped he'd be too distracted with all of you to notice me." She dresses the wound neatly with butterfly bandages. gauze, and an ace wrap.

Jacob is truly grateful and tells her so, then gathers Bella into his arms. "Does Charlie know what happened?" he asks everyone.

"Shit," Paul replies. "Jared was phased in while we were tearing up Cullen, but we phased out after. So he doesn't know the final story."

Rosalie pulls her cell phone out of her pocket. "What would you people do without me?" she asks. Jacob accepts the phone and dials the number. His own father picks up the phone.

"Jake? Is that you?" Billy sounds a bit frantic.

"We're okay, Dad. Both of us. All of us."

"Oh, thank god." And more faintly, "They're okay. They're both okay."

"What's the last you heard?"

"That Edward bit her, but that you were trying to get the venom out. Which sounded like at least one of you wasn't going to... wasn't going to..." Billy can't get the words out.

"But we're fine. We're both fine. Rosalie Cullen showed up and took over, so I didn't ingest much of the venom. It cramped up my stomach, but I think that's all."

"Can I talk to Bella, Jake?" Charlie's voice is a little muffled, and Jacob realizes that their fathers are huddled together over the same phone.

"Uh, she sort of fainted, Charlie."

"Is she all right?"

"Sure, sure. She will be, anyway. I'm gonna bring her home."

"Any idea when you'll get back?"

Jacob looks at the destruction around them. "Uh, not sure. We all ran here." He pauses and asks Rosalie, "Right? We all ran here? There's no way you got a car here that quickly." She nods. "Only car here is Cullen's, and I don't think Bella will want to get back in it."

This time Billy responds, "That's fine. Doesn't matter. As long as you're all coming back completely intact."

"I'm going to crash here with your dad tonight, Jake, if you guys need me." Charlie adds.

"Okay. Goodnight," Jacob responds.

"'Night," the fathers say simultaneously. And faintly, right before the line goes dead, he hears his father offer Charlie a drink, and Charlie says something that sounds suspiciously like "Charlie's Angry Juice," and then laughter. He is perplexed, and returns the phone to Rosalie, who is staring into the fire. Edward's remains are ablaze.

"I'm sorry; I know he was your brother."

"He crossed a line. He crossed a lot of lines. It needed to be done."

"It did. But it couldn't have been easy for you. So, thanks."

She nods and slips the phone into her pocket.

"No, for everything. The hundred different things you've done in the past day."

She gives him a bright smile. "It's been the most interesting day I've had in a long time."

He laughs. "I'll bet! Hey, do me one more favor?" She tilts her head inquisitively. "Please don't go back to high school." She lets out a genuine, deep throated laugh, and he realizes that she is, indeed, very pretty. It was actually hard to tell before since all she did was scowl at him.

He asks a difficult question. "Did you know? Did you know that he set her up?"

Rosalie looks confused. "Just now? I mean, it sure looks like he worked with Bree, doesn't it?"

Jacob nods. "He did. She said so. We reattached her head and questioned her."

She blinks in surprise. "That must have been quite the interrogation! Sort of wish I had been there."

"It was. And she told us that it went on for a lot longer. He brought those vampires up; Victoria and her mate, what was his name?"

A look of mortified horror crosses her face. "James. He did what?"

"Apparently, after he saved her life in the parking lot, he kind of wanted to do it again. One day he followed her into Port Angeles and got a bunch of guys to surround her in an alleyway and scare her, and then came in to rescue her. And he had James and Victoria come up to scare her. But James decided he actually wanted to eat her, so then he really did have to rescue her."

"Shit. I should have seen it. He was so obsessed with her. I just thought she had the worst luck on the planet. But nobody has luck that bad and doesn't die." She looks away. "It makes me hate her less. I feel sort of bad, actually. I thought she just had the worst judgement ever, but he just manipulated her from the start, didn't he?"

Leah adds, "I told her he was creepy. Crawling in her window all the time to watch her sleep. Ugh." She gives a shudder.

Jacob feels Bella stirring in his arms. He tugs her closer so he can drop tiny kisses all over her face. Maybe from now on he can always wake her up this way.

"Jake? Where have you been?" He can hear no reprimand in her voice. His heart lifts at the sound.

"I'm right here," he says in between kisses.

She smiles against his lips, but doesn't open her eyes. "You're here?"

"I'm here."

She looks him straight in the eye, and he feels like he could fall right into them. And then she frowns a little. "Is it true?"

And he knows she heard at least the end of his discussion with Rosalie. "I'm sorry, baby." She deserves to know the truth, but this is not how he intended it to happen.

"Is it done? Is he dead? Completely?"

Jacob nods and brushes her hair from her face with a soft touch. "Completely."

She relaxes in relief. "Then don't be sorry. Like Rose said, I feel slightly less a fool knowing that's what happened. And maybe with him out of my life, things can settle down."

Jacob smiles down at her, and the chaotic pieces of her universe fall into place. "Can we settle down together?"

She returns his warm smile. "Yes, please."

"Uh, Boss?" Quil asks. "What do we do about this place?" He gestures at the swath of destruction throughout the house. It is a complete mess.

"Let me do some digging," responds Rosalie. "This place is probably a rental, and I'll have to see how much time we have to get it back in order. We'll probably have to replace some furniture, but other than that cleaning up isn't a big deal. Alice and Esme can come do it, or I can, if Carlisle doesn't need me."

Rosalie moves to step outside for some privacy. No matter what Edward did, he was her brother. She doesn't regret her actions, but she has to tell the rest of the family. They deserve to know what happened.

Jacob shifts up to cradle Bella on the couch. Leah disappears up the stairs while Embry brings Bella a glass of water. She realizes how parched she is, so he refills it twice. Bella snuggles closer into Jacob while the wolves wait for Edward's remains to turn fully into ashes.

She is nearly asleep when Leah emerges with a familiar pile of clothing. "Thought maybe you'd want your own stuff, so I went looking. Unless you want to wear that... thing home to Charlie." Leah gestures at the negligee Edward dressed her in. "And Jake, did you notice those rental cabins by Little Kachess Lake?" He nods blearily. He was paying only marginal attention as they passed them. "You've got one. Just give them your name. I didn't think you'd want to stay here, and it's too far to run back with Bella."

Jacob is surprised. "Thanks, Leah," he says.

"Thanks for catching Seth," she answers quietly. "Anyway, I just called to book it. The room's on Cullen. I think it's the least he can do for you." She pulls out a neat roll of hundred dollar bills and sets it on the coffee table. A very thick roll.

From across the room, Quil's eyes bug out of his head a little. "Only time I've seen that sort of money is on drug kingpins in the movies."

Jacob wrinkles his nose a little. "Feels sort of morbid. Taking his cash."

Whereas Paul thumbs through the money and says, "I don't know. I think it's about time someone pay us for doing this. May as well be the one who got us in this mess in the first place."

Paul has a point, but Jacob still can't bring himself to touch Edward's money. But when Embry chimes in, "You could always stay here for the night," Bella immediately refuses and pulls off a few of the bills herself.

"I'd just put it on my credit card; all the shifts at Newton's certainly could cover a night in a cabin, but I don't have my wallet. But there's no way I'm spending another night in this place, even if it's with you, Jake." She has a firm set to her jaw, and Jacob decides that it's adorable. Which is probably not what she was going for. Either way, there is no way he can refuse her. "And Paul's right. Besides, what else are you going to do with the money?"

Rosalie re-enters the house. "Trust me, we don't want it. Either burn it or keep it. No skin off my nose either way."

Jacob sighs and divvies up the money in nine piles for each of his packmates, conspicuously leaving none for himself. Sam refuses his share as well, and redistributes it among the other wolves.

Bella goes to the bathroom to change back into her clothes, while Quil goes to explore the refrigerator. When she emerges, Leah points at the blue negligee. "How much do you hate that thing, Bella?"

"Completely," Bella answers. Leah glances at the fire with a smirk and tips her head toward it. "Go ahead. It's awfully satisfying."

At first Bella is embarrassed, her cheeks flushing pink. But then she thinks of Edward lowering the straps of this gown down to expose her, and she feels the bruises on her wrists, shoulder, ankles, and back, and realizes Leah is right. She glances at Rosalie, who gives a nod of approval, so she marches up to the fireplace, balls up the garment, and tosses it in.

Leah was right. It is satisfying.

Quil returns from the kitchen with piles of sandwiches, fruit, cheese, and crackers. The wolves all agree that although the food all smells bad due to its contact with Edward, they are too hungry to decline. Bella spies the strawberries in the bowl and tells Jacob that she wouldn't let Edward feed them to her, confusing everyone except Embry. For a moment Bella wonders just how much of their first date he was privy to, but he doesn't look at all embarrassed. So she decides that he probably just remembers setting up their picnic, and decides to let it go. So she lets Jacob feed a few of them to her, leading to a lot of good-natured teasing from the pack, and they both feel a bit smug.

Then she tugs at Jacob's hand and pulls him toward the door. "I know we should stay and help clean up..."

Leah interrupts before she can get any farther. "Is that some kind of a joke? Are you offering housekeeping services for the prison you've been trapped in?"

Rosalie rolls her eyes behind Leah. "Please get out, both of you. Go to sleep and don't wake up until you realize just how stupid that statement was."

So Bella gives sincere thanks to each one of them, and they step out the front door.

Which is when they realize that Bella has no shoes. Jacob grins at her. "Guess I have no choice but to carry you, Bells," and quite literally sweeps her off her feet. She giggles in response, and he decides it is one of his very favorite sounds. He wonders in passing if her voice would have changed had Edward succeeded in turning her, and is terribly glad that he didn't have to find out.

Jacob doesn't bother picking up his pace as he carries her. She is human and in his arms, and nothing else matters. He wants to hold onto the moment almost as much as he wants to hold on to her.

Bella allows herself to be surrounded by her Jacob. She tucks herself under his chin and breathes in rainwater, pine needles, and earth. Thank god he still smells so good to her. Thank god the scent of her doesn't burn his nose. She shifts her head so she can listen to the strong, steady beat of his heart. Thank god the rhythm brings her comfort rather than hunger. She runs her fingers over his smooth, taut skin. Thank god his heat feels like warm silk against hers, and does not scald her own. The gentle sway of being carried in his loving embrace nearly lulls her to sleep. Thank god she will still be able to sleep and to dream. It is where she will always be able to find Jacob if ever they should be parted.

The cry of an eagle startles her from her doze. The sky is dark and she cannot see it, but Jacob looks up into the night and tilts his head in acknowledgement. Is this the same eagle who landed on the balcony earlier? The one that announced his arrival, and watched over her while he was trying to find her?

"What happened, Jake? How did you find me?"

He makes her laugh telling her of Old Quil's fake ritual, and then awes her in the tale of the flight of his spirit. If it weren't for Old Quil and the eagle itself, he suspects he would not have figured out how to take the journey. He describes climbing from her room, through the window, and emerging on the other side, and his relief at finding her, mingled with the despair at seeing her tied down. He explains that he saw her location from the sky as his spirit lifted high before plunging back into his body, and then it was a simple matter of finding the right lake. What was more difficult was finding a way to distract Edward enough to allow them to approach.

He had realized the animals could see and hear him in his first brief spirit walk while he was still asleep, and after both the smaller russet wolf and the eagle were willing to help, he had come up with their plan. He explains that the animals in the area could sense Edward, sense the threat he posed, and wanted him gone. She tells him of Edward flailing about being assaulted by the rodents, and he smirks.

And then his face falls, because despite his best efforts, not only are her wrists and ankles bruised from the ropes where Edward tied her down and her shoulder bruised where he grabbed her, not only did Edward strip her and nearly take her body against her will, not only did Edward manipulate her from the very beginning into being with him and not only did he violate her trust, he managed to bite her. He very nearly turned her.

Jacob should have seen it coming. He chased Bree when he should have been shielding Bella. He should have done something, anything, to keep Edward away from Bella in the first place. Jacob fell into his trap as surely as Bella did, and Jacob nearly lost her. She will carry the scar as a reminder for the rest of her life.

If it weren't for Rosalie, one of them would surely be dead.

Bella can read his unspoken words in the set of his jaw, the dark look in his eye, and his grip on her body. She knows there aren't any words that will make it better. So she traces her fingers along his jaw, his cheeks, his neck, his chest, and feels him relax under her attention. "I'm here, Jacob. I'm here. Thanks to you, I'm still here. If it weren't for you... All of you..."

His voice cracks. "I made you a promise, Bells, and I broke it. I promised to keep you safe, and I failed." His breath hitches in his chest, and she knows he holds back tears. "But I wasn't going to let him turn you. Not under any circumstances."

Jacob would happily have died for her. And she suddenly remembers what she had nearly missed in her half-conscious confusion: Jacob's lips on her wrist, drawing out the venom. Leah screaming at him that he was drinking poison.

And she gets angry with him. "You shouldn't have done that, Jacob! Tried to suck out the venom. You could have been killed!"

"Maybe," he defends himself, "Maybe not. But I wasn't about to let you get punished for my mistake, Bella. I wasn't going to let you turn into one of those monsters."

"You could have just stayed with me, Jake! I'd rather be a monster with you than alive without you. You know one of the last things I thought after he bit me? That at least I wouldn't be alone, that you'd be with me, and at least you'd stop me from killing anyone. Don't you see? You're it, Jacob Black. You're the one. So it isn't okay if you leave me for my own good, because you are my good. You're the one who makes the world make sense. You make me make sense. And it wasn't your mistake. I'm the one who didn't see it coming, who walked right into every scenario he dreamed up. I had myself convinced it was love when all he was actually doing was stalking me! Before we even started dating, he used to climb in my window to watch me sleep. And I decided it was romantic!"

"He took advantage of you, Bella. He was a predator designed to draw you in. It wasn't your fault," he reassures her.

"Jake, he even told me that, came right out and told me, and I still fell for it."

"He told you just enough to make you comfortable around him. He was devious, Bella. And I think for what it's worth that he really did care about you in the only way he was able. Even I could see that. He really thought he was protecting you from me, in the end." He hates to admit it, but as twisted as Edward had become, there was something real and genuine that he had felt for Bella under all the layers of deceit and manipulation. It was what made him so good at seducing her. She could sense the core of truth underneath everything else.

After a short silence, she tells him, "I thought about him a lot while he had me. I think he was probably a good person once. Maybe even a good vampire. But being able to hear everyone's thoughts all the time? It's too much. I think it made him cynical first."

Jacob considers. It makes sense. "And then it drove him mad."

She nods. "And I think it's what made me so appealing to him. He didn't have silence with anyone but me."

Jacob chuckles. "That's not the only thing that drew him to you, honey, trust me."

Soon they approach the rental office. Jacob still isn't ready to let go of Bella, but she insists on at least being set on her own two feet. When they ring the bell at the locked door, a blonde girl around Bella's age answers the door in her pajamas. Her eyes widen at the sight of a massive, shirtless Native American man gripping a slender, pale girl tightly around the waist. Neither of them have shoes.

"Uh, rough night?" she asks. "Normally check in starts at three pm, not three am."

"Sorry for getting you up this time of night." Jacob flashes his bright smile at her, the one meant to charm. It works, and she steps aside to let them in.

"You're going to be in cabin ten. We didn't have anything else free at the last minute, but that one's available for the next three days."

"Ten will be perfect, thanks," says Jacob. It could have no indoor plumbing and a hole in the roof. At this point he couldn't care less.

"I'll need a credit card." Jacob is forced to release Bella and step away from her to pull out his wallet and hand over the card. Bella notices the girl's eyes widen further at Jacob's muscular form, but doesn't get annoyed until the girl deliberately leans over the counter and presses her breasts together with her arms, trying to give Jacob a flash of her cleavage as she pulls out a map of the grounds and explains where their cabin is. In response, Bella steps up to press herself against Jacob's back, reaches forward, and traces his tight rectus abdominis muscles with her fingertips.

"Hurry up, baby," she breathes. "I'm ready to get you into bed." To her delight, Jacob responds by grabbing the key off the counter and turning around to sweep her up again in a bridal carry in one smooth motion.

"Thanks," he calls over his shoulder, and they're out the door. "That was misleading, Bells. You and I both know that the only thing you want that bed for is to sleep. Way more than you want me to do things to you in it."

She laughs. "She deserved it anyway. We don't exactly look like we're two buddies just need a place to crash, do we? What kind of girl flirts so blatantly with guys in front of their girlfriends?"

"Girls like Lauren," Jacob responds.

"Exactly!" Bella exclaims. Then her voice softens. "Besides. I may need some sleep soon, but I need your arms around me when I fall asleep way more than I need a bed."

He kisses the top of her head. "I think that can be arranged. Can you wait a couple minutes for me to shower? I have actual dirt on me from the run over, plus I'm covered in burnt-Edward smell."

"As long as I can take a shower too. I want all traces of him gone from my skin."

Jacob does her one better than a quick shower. Cabin ten turns out to be the honeymoon suite. It boasts a fully stocked kitchen, a large living and dining area with a massive stone fireplace, and a California king bed in the well-appointed bedroom. One wall is dominated by large doors that open to a deck leading straight to the lake's edge, while another opens to a spacious marble bathroom dominated by a large jacuzzi tub. It is even big enough to fit Jacob comfortably.

He turns and aims puppy dog eyes at her. "I know we both need to go to sleep as soon as possible, Bells, but can I give you a bath? Pretty please? I promise, no funny business."

She gives him a flirty smile and replies, "I'll tolerate at least a little funny business, Jake." So he leans toward her for a kiss, but then spies something over her shoulder and dodges around her. She almost stumbles forward when he suddenly isn't there. "Hey, where'd you go?"

She turns around and sees him opening a little complimentary bottle of mouthwash. "I'm going to be minty fresh when I give you a real kiss tonight, honey."

"At least this time I can use it too!" she grins, remembering how he brushed his teeth surreptitiously after their first time together in his garage.

Then Jacob starts filling the tub and dumps in a generous helping of bubbles. Bella digs around and discovers fresh smelling, fluffy white towels in the closet along with two bathrobes. She places them next to the tub and turns to see Jacob leaning against the counter and watching her intently. If it were anyone else, she would feel self conscious. Instead she just feels loved.

He opens his arms, and she moves into them. He still hasn't kissed her deeply, and she wonders what he's waiting for. And then she realizes that despite their intense attraction to each other, despite his dedication to showing her physical pleasure beyond anything she had ever imagined, despite the skill he demonstrates in drawing orgasms from her body, that all those things are secondary. They flow from his love for her, not the other way around.

She had always thought herself unlucky. But it couldn't be further from the truth. She has Jacob, her best friend and lover. He would fight for her and die for her, and very nearly did. He would go to the ends of the earth to find her, and very nearly did. He would leave everything he knew behind him in order to be with her, and very nearly did. He would even walk away from her just to make her happy, and very nearly did.

Bella decides then and there that she is the luckiest girl she knows.

She wants to kiss him, even if he is content just to be with her. So she reaches one hand up and threads her fingers through his hair and draws him down. He happily complies, and she melts into him.

Jacob's lips are full, soft, and gentle. They hold love, hope, and promise. His kisses open universes to her. They show her the future. They show her happiness. She wants no other lips to touch hers. With this kiss, she doesn't see their children running into the woods. She sees Jacob himself, looking much as he does right now except cleanly shaven instead of rough with stubble, and dressed in khakis and a white dress shirt, open at the collar, and barefoot, standing in the sand on First Beach. He is waiting for her with the happiest smile she has ever seen, Billy seated right behind him with warmth in his eyes. Waiting to marry her.

She opens her eyes and pulls back enough to see him clearly. He looks at her with an expression of wonder. "I just saw something, Bells," he breathes. Her heart skips a beat.

"What?" she asks.

"You. As gorgeous as I've ever seen you. Walking toward me on the beach with Charlie. About to marry me." Her smile is as bright as any of his, and nearly as blinding. He sees it and returns it, and then kisses her again, long enough to make her breathless.

She finally breaks away. "Me too, Jacob. I saw it too." She sees in his eyes how badly he wants the vision to come true. As badly as she does.

They would probably never move from this spot, but Jacob remembers the water and turns the spigot off, dipping a hand in to test the temperature. "Perfect," he declares, and then turns toward her. She reaches for the hem of her shirt, but he stops her with a hand on hers. "Let me, Bells. Please?"

She traces her finger up his arm and answers, "It's sweet of you to keep asking, but you don't need permission. Consider this me giving you blanket, permanent permission."

He smiles at her. "But if you keep answering that way, I'm gonna ask just so I can hear you tell me yes that way." Then he gently draws the shirt over her head and tosses it to the floor. His expression grows serious. He reaches around her with both arms so he can unclasp her bra, and slides it down and off. It ends up nowhere near her shirt. He kneels in front of her to unbutton her jeans and slides them down her hips. She uses his shoulders to balance herself while she steps out of each leg one by one. He hooks his thumbs under the thin straps of her bikini underwear and slowly drags them down her legs, and after she steps out of those as well, he just stares at her. He kisses her bandaged wrist, and then the visible bruise on the other wrist, and leads her to the water and helps her in. Then he opens his own fly and steps out of his shorts, and he joins her in the water, seating himself behind her.

He draws her between his legs and she leans back against his chest. He traces patterns on her stomach with his right hand, and with his left he brushes her cheek gently with the pads of his fingers, gradually moving down to her jaw, her neck, and then her collarbone. She relaxes against him, and he hugs her tightly.

Eventually she turns to face him and kisses him gently as she feels his hands wrap around her waist under the bubbles. She pulls back and notices that despite how content he looks to be with her, he looks even more tired than she feels. Which should come as no surprise, considering what he had to do to get her back. She kisses him once more and then asks, "Help me get clean, Jake?"

He reaches for a pitcher sitting nearby and uses it to wet her hair. He squirts some shampoo on his hand and gently works it through her hair and massages her scalp before using the pitcher to rinse it out. He gathers some body wash and takes her right hand in his and runs the soap over it, being as gentle as can be over the rope mark on her skin. He kisses the bruise. He is even more careful with the newly injured right one, and manages not to get her bandages wet. He tugs her upward to sit on her knees so that less of her is submerged in the water, and uses tender touch to lather her chest and stomach, reaching around to get her back and bottom as well. He stares at the droplets of water running down the swell of her breasts, and she knows that he would gladly draw her nipples into his mouth if she weren't so tired. Her breasts ache anyway when he lightly runs his palms over them, even though she knows he isn't going to exhaust them further by taking her tonight. But he does stop to kiss his mark on her breast, and she shivers in delight. He pushes her to lean against the opposite edge of the tub and draws her right leg up and partly out of the water, taking care to softly kiss the bruising on her ankle. He gently lathers it, but after lowering it back under the surface, instead of switching legs, he massages her foot, and then repeats the process on the other side. His touch is heavenly, and only heightened by the warm water surrounding her. He kisses every one of her toes. Then he slides up her thighs and teases her folds gently with his soapy hand under the water, but he doesn't penetrate her. He knows it isn't the time, although he hopes it will be soon. She wouldn't refuse him, he knows, but she needs his comforting touch and rest more than she needs sex. Lastly he threads conditioner through her hair, and rinses it for her with the pitcher. He playfully sniffs the crook of her neck and declares her sweet-smelling and vampire-free.

Then she asks him to dunk his head under the water, and then she massages his scalp with shampoo as he did hers. She gives his body similar treatment as he did to hers, but with a firmer touch. His muscles are knotted with his exertions over the past days, and she works out the tightest points with her hands before moving on to the rest of him. She pays close attention to his abdominal muscles, more for her own benefit than for his, she knows, but he doesn't mind at all. She saves his thick cock for last, and isn't surprised to find it hard and pulsing under her hand. She strokes it gently under the water, and he sucks in a breath. "Tomorrow, honey. You're exhausted. So am I, for that matter."

So he helps her out of the water and gently dries her with two large fluffy towels, and tenderly massages lotion into her skin from head to toe. Despite her fatigue, he can smell her arousal in the air from his touch. But he knows she needs to rest, so he helps her into one of the bathrobes. She swims a little in it, but by rolling up the sleeves she fits. She holds up the other to his large form and declares, "These are lying. They aren't one size fits all." He wraps a towel around his own waist and seats her at the vanity before gently untangling her hair with his fingers. Then he carries her to the bed, pulls off her robe, and turns back the covers, lying her down.

She murmurs, "I love you, Jacob. How come I want you, even though I'm so tired? Maybe Edward was right. Maybe it is some kind of magic," she chuckles, and reaches somewhat lazily for his hands. He kisses each of her knuckles in turn, and by the time he kisses the last one she is asleep.

He climbs in beside her and pulls her against his chest, and pulls a single sheet over them both. He will keep her warm tonight. He listens to the even flow of her breathing. He relishes the warmth of her soft skin. He breathes in the clean scent of Bella. He loves her with all his heart, and he slips into sleep to the lulling sound of her heartbeat.

In her sleep, Bella does something she has never done before. Not even in the midst of planning her own. She has a very conventional dream about a wedding.


	38. Chapter 38

Rating: MA for lemons

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Friday  
X-x-x-x-X

Bella wakes ten hours later to scent of mint and sugar and the delicious sensation of plush lips pressing into the small of her back and warm hands lightly gripping her hips. Aaah. The right set of lips. Lips that stretch wide across the brightest smile she has ever seen, whisper sweet words of love that make her heart flutter, growl phrases of seduction to make her melt, and grant her kisses of all kinds. The perfect set of hands. Hands that wipe away her tears, pick her up when she falls, hold her when she needs comfort, and tickle her to make her laugh.

This first kiss says, _Good afternoon, sleepyhead. I want to wake you gently with loving touches every day_. They send pleasant vibrations up her spine. His warm breath makes her skin tingle.

She opens her eyes and sees a steaming mug of tea next to the bed. He helps her sit up and offers it to her. It is some kind of herbal peppermint, and it quenches her thirst while reminding her of candy canes. She looks at him sitting on the bed beside her with his own mug, looking at her with warm, soft eyes. She smiles at him and he smiles back. She isn't embarrassed in the least to be nude, and neither is he. She watches his eyes travel up and down her body. He lingers sadly on her bruises, but when his gaze lands on her breasts and legs she knows that lust and love win out over melancholy. She sets her mug down when she is finished with every intention of reaching out for him, but he has other ideas. He flashes her his sexiest grin and she knows she will do anything he asks. He rolls her back onto her stomach.

She feels him shift down, and the next touch is a gentle massage of her left foot. He knows her feet are almost as sensitive as hers, and uses firm circles of both thumbs to soothe her flesh. He switches to the other side and does the same.

Then he drops a kiss to the arch of each foot. These kisses say, _I know every sensitive spot on your body. I want to kiss them all._It tickles, and she giggles and wiggles her toes in response.

Next he lightly runs his fingers around the bruises around her ankles. He holds very, very still. Then she feels a single damp tear land on the back of her left calf, but when she moves to comfort him, he gently pushes her to lie down again on her stomach, and he places a gentle, lingering kiss on the back of each bruise. These kisses mean, _I know you think there is nothing to forgive, but I'm sorry anyway_.

Then he surrounds her lower leg with his warm hands and massages there too, until she is so relaxed into the mattress that she nearly falls asleep again. That is, until he presses his lips into the sensitive dip behind each knee, then swirls his tongue in teasing circles on each side. These kisses mean, _Hey now, we're just getting started. You don't want to miss this._

And then he moves up to her thighs. He leaves them closed and uses the very tips of his fingers to draw trails up and down her skin. He leaves electricity in his wake. Initially, he only touches the skin just above her knees, but with each pass upward he climbs slowly higher. She grows impatient until he reaches the sensitive fold under her buttocks where they meet her thighs, and she starts to squirm. Then he runs his tongue along the same line, and she moans. He responds with open mouthed kisses back and forth, over and over. These kisses say, _I want you, and I want you to want me back_. They are meant to arouse and to entice, but they are only a tease. He still has the rest of her body to explore.

He spreads his large hands open, and places one on each buttock, gently squeezing and releasing her flesh. His breathing becomes labored, and she knows he is thinking the same thing she is. That he could pull her hips up right now and bury himself deep into her sweet pussy. But they both know he won't. Not yet. He is patient, even if she is not, and he plans on taking his time.

He still doesn't know how much time they have left. Days? Weeks? Years? There are still grave threats against her life. Even though he ripped off Edward Cullen's head and his brothers burned him to ashes, even though Bree is safely torn into five different pieces and locked away, he knows they aren't done. Edward set them up for a final challenge, and he doesn't know if they will survive it together. So today, he is going to go slowly. He is going to explore her flesh thoroughly, and he is going to use his acquired knowledge to show her just how deep his love for her runs.

He bends down to give her sweet, tiny kisses all over her bottom. These kisses say, _I cherish every single inch of your body. But this part is one of my very favorites_. They both know that is due in no small part to the way it looks when he takes her from behind. Which he has every intention of doing. Later.

Then he switches to playful nips of her skin. She squirms beneath him as each little bite sends jolts of arousal to her core. Finally he licks swirls and circles until she whimpers, and the scent of her arousal fills the air. His cock throbs in response, and she feels a drop of precum land on her leg. She aches for him, and he for her.

He moves to run his tongue up the length of her spine. She arches at the touch and mewls. He smiles against her flesh. Her sounds of pleasure are music in his ears. He tickles her flanks lightly with his fingers, gradually increasing the pressure until she lets out full throated laughter. Before it stops feeling nice and starts feeling irritating, he changes from tickling attacks to sweeps of his broad palms, warming her skin. Then he kisses all the way back down on either side of her spine, first the left, then the right, with open, warm lips, his breath hot against her. These kisses say, _I need to touch every single inch of your body. To reassure us both that you are still here_.

After lifting himself up, he straddles her upper thighs, and his hot length rests against her buttocks. He allows himself to slide deliciously against her skin, and they both groan. He pumps his hips a few times and looks down at the erotic sight of his cock cradled by her body. He strongly reconsiders his decision not to take her yet. After all, she is definitely ready and wholly willing. Her warmth, her softness, her body laid out before him. She is so tempting. So enticing. He sucks in a breath to steady himself, but it actually has the opposite effect due to her arousal hanging heavy in the air. But in the end, he still sticks to his plan.

He reaches down brush her thick hair to the side and kneads the muscles in her shoulders. They are still tight from her position tied down in captivity. He works the tension from her neck and shoulders. Every time his hand passes over his mark she sighs in pleasure. He presses his chest against her back, and his heat causes a flush to suffuse her skin. The movement traps his throbbing cock between them, and she wiggles back against him until he groans. He drops sensual kisses along the back of her neck, the sensitive spot behind her ear, and finally the mark on her shoulder. She shudders, and he loves the feeling of her body moving under his, so he licks tender circles on the mark with his tongue. She almost orgasms from that intimate contact, but he pulls away too soon. These kisses say,_ Only I could ever have this effect on your body, and only you have this effect on mine. I'm yours, and you're mine._

Then he gently rolls her over, and their eyes meet. His expression is serious as he looks at her. His focus is on her and her alone. The intensity of his gaze is matched only by her own. She wants him more than she has ever wanted anything, and he can see it written across her features. He is her port in the storm, the sun breaking through the clouds, her knight in shining armor. He is every corny cliche she has ever read. He is her Jacob.

His touch is tender as he traces along her cheek and jaw with his fingers. He fixates on her full bottom lip, and he gently caresses it with his thumb. He leans down for a kiss that starts soft and gentle, his mouth barely brushing against hers. But she weaves her fingers through his hair and pulls him firmly against her. The kiss deepens. She traces his lips with the tip of her tongue, and his lips part on a groan. He nips at her lower lip with his teeth and then sucks it into his mouth and suckles.

This kiss is a promise. _I love you. I need you. I'll be with you forever. I've been mad about you for my whole life, and I want nothing more than to please you._

When he finally releases her mouth, she is panting heavily. He nuzzles the planes of her cheeks, her forehead, her eyelashes, and the tip of her nose with his own. He breathes the pure scent of her in.

He tips back to look at her. Her cheeks are flushed, her hair tangled in a halo behind her, her eyes shine with desire, her lips are full, red, and wet from his kisses. Her skin is pink with arousal for him, her pulse is rapid and flutters under her skin, her breasts are perfectly shaped and heave a little from her breathing, her nipples are peaked and taut and they beg for his touch.

He gives in. He wasn't planning on doing this yet, and neither of them has yet said a word. But he knows exactly what she wants, and today of all days he cannot deny her. So he lowers his lips to her left breast and runs his tongue around the areola, so lightly that she can barely feel the touch. His breath is hot on her skin. She tugs him closer, her hands still buried in his hair. He smiles against her skin and adds more pressure, lapping at her nipple. These kisses say, _I want to make you feel good._She whimpers, and he draws her breast into his mouth. She gasps and arches her back as bliss spreads throughout her body. He suckles her as she grips him tightly, nails digging into his scalp and holding him close. He releases her breast from his mouth only to gently rake his teeth across the tip. He lightly brushes his thumb back and forth over the other, and then gently pinches it between his thumb and forefinger. He switches breasts and lavishes attention on the other. He draws moans from her lips and sighs from her lungs, and he breathes almost inaudibly, "So soft," and gently palms her breast in his hand. They both know that he is thinking of how close she came to becoming rock hard, glittering flesh.

She is getting close from his attentions, he can tell. He loves the way her body responds to his. He loves how open she is with him, and that her reactions are reserved for him and him alone. He loves making her come. So he pinches her other nipple and twists gently, kisses a path up to the mark on her breast, tongues it, and makes her quake with a small orgasm.

It only leaves her hungry for more.

But rather than slip inside her, he buries his face in her neck and slides his arms under her waist. He holds her tight, gently pressing his lips to her pulse point. This kiss says, _I need to know that you are really here. _She may want sex, and he may want it too. But he wants to hold her more. She may make him hot and hard and ready, but she also makes his heart overflow with emotions, and he needs just a minute to cling to her and reassure himself that this isn't another dream. The love of his life is right here beneath him, and he isn't going to let her go.

Then he kisses a trail down her neck, across her collarbone, his tongue pauses to swirl in the dip at the base of her throat, and up the opposite side of her neck. These kisses say, _Okay, okay. You're really here. I can feel you. You're safe and alive and you're here with me._

He tips her head to the side and switches to nuzzling the sensitive spot behind her ear with his nose, and he runs his fingers lightly over her sides. Her skin is already sensitive due to the lavish attention he just paid to her breasts, and every touch is magnified tenfold. Each spot where his fingers meet her body feel like individual pinpoints of light on her skin. She feels as if the only parts of her body that even exist are the parts that he is touching. If it weren't for his hands on her, she would surely drift away.

He rolls slightly to the side so he can access more of her. He runs one finger along the underside of her breast, then down the center of her abdomen. He swirls that finger in delicate circles around her bellybutton. She vibrates slightly under his hand. He opens his hand into a hot, flat palm and warms the area low in her pelvis where he hopes his children will grow someday. He presses his pouting lips against her neck. This kiss says, _The only future I want is one with you. Stay with me._

He slides his open palm up her belly, around her side, and over her shoulder, then strokes down along her arm, sliding his hand down to twine his fingers in hers. She squeezes his hand back tightly. In response, he turns his head and brings their joined hands to his lips. He kisses each of her fingers in turn, and then repeats the gesture on the other side. These kisses say, _I want to hold your hand, and I always have. My hand feels empty without yours in it._

He releases his grip enough to be able to turn her wrist back and forth in front of his eyes, and she feels another tear land on her neck as he stares at her bruises and bandages. He kisses each of them, and the kisses say, _I almost lost you. What would I do without you?_

She finally opens her mouth to speak. Softly, murmuring into his hair, "I'm here. I'm yours. I love you. And I'm here."

He feels a little bad for causing her any distress at all. She is here and she is naked beneath him, and he has allowed himself to wallow in sadness like a fool. He grasps her hands again and draws them up, pinning her gently to the bed as he rises up to look at her. "You really are, aren't you?"

She nods and gives him a small smile. "Thanks to you, I am. I'm here with you. The only place I want to be."

His responding smile is bright as the sun. He leans down to give her little Eskimo kisses on the tip of her nose, then captures her lips for an endless, passionate kiss. It says, _I'm not going to waste a second of our precious time together. I'm going to make you feel so damn good._He throbs against her leg, and she wants more.

So he nudges her thighs apart with his knee and brings his hips to her, and drags his hard cock along the length of her slit. She groans into his mouth when he slips against her clitoris, and she tilts her pelvis up to increase the contact. She is wet and swollen and ready to take anything he has to give, but he still wants to take his time. Her desperate, wordless whimpers tell him that she isn't patient, but he is, and gives her another deep kiss to tell her, _I'll get there. I promise. I'm not going to stop until you can't take it any more._

The kiss doesn't end while he rocks against her. His cock is trapped between them in a delicious slide. Up and down. Up and down. He would get better leverage for his movement against her tight bundle of nerves if he could bring himself to stop kissing her, but that simply isn't an option. He needs to be close to her, and so does she.

His heat surrounds her. His touch blankets her. His skin is smooth and taut over the strong cords of his muscles. She was so cold without him, and after she felt the burning pain of Edward's venom slicing up her arm, so fearful that she might never be warm again. Carlisle had once told her that touching the skin of a wolf felt like fire on his skin. How terrible a fate it would have been to feel pain rather than pleasure at Jacob's touch. And his scent. The smell of home. He smells like the forest, the earth, the trees, the rain. Better than the aroma of cookies or vanilla or any flower she has ever encountered. How awful it would have been if he had smelled as repulsive to her as the Cullens claim. And his voice. Would his gruff, husky bedroom tone have grated her ears? Would the rich, ringing sound of his laughter sounded tinny to her? And his taste. Oh, his taste. Mint right now from his tea, with salt and sweet and the indescribable underlying Jacobness of him on her tongue. That too, no doubt, would have been repulsive. Or worse yet, perhaps the opposite. It has occurred to her already that Jacob might have been her vampire's singer, the one being in the world she might have no ability at all to resist. Would she have been tempted to drain him? Would she have been able to defy the primal urge, or would it have driven her mad as it did Edward?

At least had she been turned, he could not have looked any different to her. Sexy, happy smile aimed only at her, thick hair for only her to run her fingers through, deep brown eyes sending messages of love for her alone. His body, of course, prominent muscles, imposing height, rich russet skin. She appreciates his body, of course she does. He looks like no one else she has ever seen, particularly now that his height and bulk outpace even that of his brothers.

But these things are not why she loves him. She loves her Jacob. She loves the toddler who trailed after her, the boy who made her laugh, the teen who wanted only to hold her hand, the wolf racing to protect her, the man who stood by her side through heartbreak and rejection and held a mirror to her and showed her who she really was. Showed her who they could be. The man who carried her to safety and threw himself into deadly battle for her sake, who left his home and his family to chase a threat against her, who walked right out of his own body to find her.

He is, quite literally, the man of her dreams.

And he is here, now, his body flush with hers, his lips soft and sweet and insistent on hers, his large hands enveloping hers, his sex slipping deliciously against hers. Again, and again, and again.

She throbs. She aches. She climbs higher. And Jacob is pure, raw energy feeding her desire. No one else can draw such reactions from her. No one.

So when he gently bites her bottom lip and switches from a slick drag to a firm grind, she writhes and shudders and comes. He holds his body firmly against hers and lets her ride it out, this orgasm stronger than the last. But still she wants more.

He lifts off her long enough to dig through his discarded shorts for his wallet and produces a condom. She sits up and awaits him eagerly, legs curled beneath her, arms extended down on the mattress to support her. The position unwittingly pushes her breasts together, and he stops and stares. She reaches out and takes the condom from him. She pumps him a few times, and he hisses in response before she rolls it onto him. The sight of her bent over his length makes him crazy. Her little hands are soft and warm and feel oh so much better than his own.

She lies back, one knee slightly bent and tilted out in an explicit invitation. He knows what she wants. He places a hand on her knee and looks at her, just taking her in. She is so, so gorgeous. She is every fantasy he has ever had. She looks up at him with love and lust and trust in her eye. She looks up at him in happiness. It is the same look she gave him that first day he knew she loved him, long before she admitted it to herself or to him. The look she gave him when he caught her as she slipped on wet leaves, when he thought they had imprinted. At the time, he was so disappointed that they had not. He no longer wishes that they had. She is here, and she chose him, and he chose her long, long ago.

She waits for him to bend over and slip his cock inside her. Waits for him to fill her body as he has filled her soul.

Instead, he slowly shifts his hand from her knee to her thigh to her lower lips, tracing along them with a feather light touch. She is wet with desire, and his fingers gather her essence. He brings his hand to his pink tongue and tastes of her. Now he is the one who wants more.

He tugs her to the edge of the bed and kneels at her feet like the devoted pilgrim that he is. He draws her legs over his shoulders and plunges his tongue directly into her center as he grips her hips in his hands as she arches her back and wails. He worships at the altar of her body. He offers her his own in supplication. Her flavor is his ambrosia. Her cries are manna for his spirit.

He swirls his tongue around her tight entrance where it is most sensitive, and she aches for more. He laves her slit and drags against her clitoris and she bucks against him. He licks circles on the sensitive nub and she grabs his hair to keep him in place. He obliges gladly. She is his goddess and he wants only to please her.

He drinks her in with his lips and burns the image of her in his brain. Back arched, taut nipples rising in the air, twisting her hips, grabbing and yanking at his hair. He never wants to forget what she looks like. Feels like. Tastes like. Right now.

He massages her pussy from the inside, and she grinds down against him. He slides up and draws runes on her clitoris as her head thrashes from side to side. Then he sucks it into his soft lips and works the tip until she comes. Again.

As soon as he feels the rhythmic bucking against his face, he slips one finger inside her and feels how tight she is. He can hardly wait to feel her on his cock. But he has to have her in every way.

After all, she is the embodiment of everything he cherishes most on this earth. If he is the sun, then she is the life he sustains. He exists to warm her and to support her. He has spent eons watching her orbit around him, taking his light for granted as if it were inevitable. She has finally turned toward him, and he will not take the opportunity lightly. Therefore it is easy to delay his own carnal desires, for what he wants more than anything is to please her.

So he curls his finger into the most sensitive point on her inner walls and doesn't let her come down from her high. He alternates between tender strokes and hard, firm thrusts. He adds another finger. He holds her between the individual points of pleasure of his hand striking her cervix, his fingertips grazing her inner walls, and his mouth on her clitoris.

The galaxy tilts as she comes and comes and comes.

And then finally, finally he pulls his lips and hand from her body, stalks up the bed, and tugs her up with him. He kisses her full lips once more, sharing her flavor with her. This kiss says, _You are everything to me. I am yours._He slides home.

Oh, oh, oh. It is exactly what she needs. Exactly what he needs. He buries himself inside her, burrowing as far into her body as he can go, and holds still. He is so large that simply holding himself motionless inside her stretches her to her limit. She burns and aches and throbs around him. She loses track of how long he simply fills her without further motion. Movement does not matter. He is here, and she is here, and the universe makes sense. He kisses her, and kisses her, and kisses her. _I love you, I love you, I love you._

At the same moment, they move together. His first thrusts are slow and gentle, but very deep. He cannot bring himself to part from her lips, and it restricts him somewhat. But he simply has to keep kissing her. And tender touches are what they both crave. Right now they both want to be as close as possible. Limbs entwined, bodies joined, him inhaling her breaths and she his, the most intimate embrace two people can share. He kisses her, and kisses her, and kisses her. _I love you, I love you, I love you._

He draws slowly back out of her, just a few inches, and tenderly, carefully pushes back in. The friction is delicious. At this snail's pace she can feel the very texture of his cock as he rocks in and out of her. His heat is intense. Almost as intense as his love. His form pressing down on hers is solid and whole and very, very real, no figment of her fevered imagination or conjuring of her desires, nor even his spirit traveling far from his body to find hers. He is really, truly here. He kisses her, and kisses her, and kisses her. _I love you, I love you, I love you._

He picks up his pace, and she begins to gasp against his skin. Her hitching breaths are precious to him. She isn't breathing just so she can speak, or so that she can pretend to blend in as a human. Her body is warm under his, and the flush of her skin is proof that real blood still flows through her veins. Her heart pounds faster as he moves in her. The sound of it is better than music. He kisses her, and kisses her, and kisses her. _I love you, I love you, I love you._

His thrusts grow harder. Her gasps turn into moans. He pulls out farther, and starts to shove back in. He is still unwilling to release her lips, but he pulls out as much as he is able in this position and firmly press back in. Each time he hits her cervix, warmth and energy radiate from her core. She shakes around him and tilts her pelvis up to meet his hips. She stands right on the edge of the cliff, and he holds her there with his steady movements. He kisses her, and kisses her, and kisses her. _I love you, I love you, I love you._

Then he reaches down between their bodies, gathers the wetness of her desire, and thumbs her clitoris gently. She flies off the cliff's edge and soars. She breaks the kiss to arch her back, shoving her breasts against his chest, throwing her head back with a wavering cry. She clenches around him. Her tight, wet pussy milks his huge cock. But he doesn't come.

He pulls out, tips over to lie on his side, pulls her to body to his, her back against his chest, and pulls her leg backward over his to open her to him. Her head falls on his shoulder and she moans at his entry. He sets a rhythm similar to the one he used just moments before, but this time he has access to touch more pleasure points on her body. He holds her still with the arm tucked under her and around her waist so he can control his movement without her sliding away. His free hand explores her. At first he avoids her oversensitive clitoris, still tingling from her last orgasm, so instead he plays teasingly with her nipples, then when she starts begging for more, tugs and pulls at her them until she whimpers, all the while slipping in and out of her sweet cunt. She turns her head toward him, and he turns his to her, and he kisses her, and kisses her, and kisses her. _I love you, I love you, I love you._

She reaches back to grab hold of his hair. His body's actions in hers feel like the only thing anchoring her here. How, how, how could she ever have thought there was a love better than this? How did she ever think that other lips should meet hers? How did ever mistake other hands as the ones that should learn her body this way? How did she ever think that another cock could fill her more completely? She can barely remember. And how did she ever think that turning her own body into something hard as stone could possibly be an improvement on the flesh she has now? This body molds under his, turns hot under his touch, and stretches to accommodate his girth. The sensations coursing under her skin could not possibly be improved upon in any way.

He slips his hand down from her breast to flick teasingly at her clitoris, his cock pulsing in her all the while. He grins into her hair as she starts to plead with him. She wants a firmer touch. She wants to come again, and tells him so with broken words. Tonight he is totally unable to resist her desires. So he speeds his finger against her, holds her firmly still with his other arm, and shoves himself more forcefully inside her. Seconds later she comes again, his name dripping from her lips.

The sound triggers something desperate and primal within him. Perhaps it is the fear of the past days finally crashing down on him, perhaps it is the relief of having her back, perhaps it is simply his body's natural response to hers. But he has to release her from this position so he can take her fast, hard, and however he likes.

He decides his lips have been apart from hers for too long. So when she calms down, he pulls out of her, sits on his heels, and pulls her to straddle his hips. He centers his cock and tugs her onto him. God. Every time he enters her somehow feels like the very first time. She is just that tight. Just that hot. Just that soft. Thank god she is still so soft. He captures her lips with his again while she sits unmoving on his length. He has one hand tangled in her hair and the other wrapped around her waist. He traces her lips with his tongue and then plunges it deep inside. He kisses her, and kisses her, and kisses her. _I love you, I love you, I love you._

And then he lifts her up so far that he nearly falls out of her, and slams her back down. She screams. He repeats the movement as he thrusts upward. Again, and again, and again. He has to get as deep into her as he can go. He needs to be surrounded by her. And he can no longer be gentle. She is his mate, and he has to take her. Best of all, he knows she loves it. Knows she loves it when he fucks her hard. He loves to be tender with her, but right now they both just need more. They need to feel alive.

He is agitated now. He needs to fuck her, not slip into her. He needs to brace himself and drive into her. So he tips her back so that she is flat against the mattress, wraps her legs over his arms to spread her wide, and slams into her. She immediately feels another orgasm building. His grunts turn into growls. Sweat drips from his brow, and his whole body glistens with perspiration. She struggles to keep her eyes open to look at him, for he is human and beautiful, animal and feral, loving and passionate, and every raw emotion is sketched across his face and held taught in the muscular cords of his body.

He is desperate. He has held out endlessly, wrung orgasm after orgasm from her body, and his own begs for a release. But he isn't done. So on the next withdrawal, he growls down at her, "Come for me, Bella. Milk my cock. Now," before he slams back into her as hard as he can.

She obeys. He rides her hard as she clenches at him and wails, then in a flash he flips her over, pulls up her hips, and slams his cock deep into her body, pistoning wildly into her at the angle he knows stimulates her the most. He knows her, he knows her body, he knows what she wants and what she needs. As he pounds into her, shockwaves envelop her. Jacob envelops her. All she hears are his growls and groans and curses in her ear. All she tastes is the salt of his sweat, the musk that is him. All she feels is his body on her, in her, against her, bringing her ecstasy. All she sees is her love, her life, her hero, her sun. There is no one else in her world. And for him, there has only ever been her.

She keeps coming endlessly, continuously, so hard that her vision goes dark. She sobs and moans and repeats his name as she comes, and comes, and comes. And finally, finally he joins her in bliss, exploding deep inside her with a hoarse yell, ecstatic energy overtaking his entire body in wave after wave after wave. Tears fall from Bella's eyes as she splinters apart.

Gradually Jacob's gravity brings her back together. She recovers her vision and finds herself lying on her side, burrowed into the soft sheets, Jacob spooned up against her, curled around her protectively, holding her tight with his strong arms, still buried deep inside.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," he says simply.

"Love you more," she breathes in reply.


	39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Friday  
X-x-x-x-X

Eventually, Jacob's growling stomach and Bella's own hunger draw them out of bed. Bella pulls on the oversized robe and is happy when Jacob pulls on nothing, striding into the kitchen to stand nude in front of the pantry. She leans on the counter behind him and takes in the view. She is a very lucky girl.

"Want pancakes, Bells? I know it's closer to dinner time than to breakfast, but I think it sounds good. And there's some fresh fruit in the fridge to go with it. And ooh," he pulls out a little bottle, "real maple syrup. This place is great. I can't believe how much stuff they stock in here."

She readily agrees and bends to pull a frying pan out from a cabinet. Jacob grabs her hips and steers her toward the stools surrounding the large kitchen island. "You sit. I'm cooking. After we  
eat we should go back and see how the cleanup is going. That okay with you?" She agrees. He opens a little bottle of orange juice for her and downs two of his own in twenty seconds. "I'll bet you this food costs the same as mini-bar stuff. These three bottles of juice probably just set us back, like, thirty dollars," he chatters. "Good thing we're spending somebody else's money!"

Bella half-listens to him and mostly stares at his taut form moving gracefully about the room. She finds him very distracting. She decides that Jacob should not be allowed to wear clothing ever, or at least when he cooks, and tells him so.

"How 'bout an apron, honey? Can I wear one of those? You know, to protect my delicate skin from splashes of hot oil?" he jokes. Bella's eyes glaze over a little as she imagines Jacob's skin glistening with oil. After a second, she blushes when she sees him smirking at her, and she realizes he caught her in the middle of the little daydream. "Like what you see?" He waggles his eyebrows suggestively.

"Maybe," she evades.

"That's not what you said half an hour ago." There is a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Hey," she retorts, "Less talking, more cooking!"

He straightens to his full height and salutes her, "Yes, ma'am!"

He grabs the pancake mix off the counter. The staff has stocked several single serving bottles of pancake mix which require only adding water, shaking, and cooking. Jacob frowns at the small container. "So, one of these will be enough for you." He ends up using every single bottle in the pantry to make his own breakfast. Dinner. Whatever.

He digs in happily. With a fully stuffed mouth, he mumbles, "Ees aren ah goo ah or," he swallows, "but I'm so hungry!" She blinks at him blankly. "These aren't as good as yours," he clarifies. "What do you put in yours, Bells? The secret ingredient is crack, isn't it?" He feigns seriousness, pointing his fork at her, then grins widely. And she remembers for the first time in a long time that he is a sixteen year old boy. She wishes wistfully for a second that he could just be a boy, and she just a girl. If only it weren't for Edward.

She finally stops to recall what she had heard Jacob and Rosalie discussing as she awoke. Edward set her up. From almost the very beginning. He set himself up as her rescuing hero, but in reality he was the villain. He pretended to be the knight in shining armor, but he set the dragon on her before he arrived to save her.

Bella pushes her pancake around her plate, making idle patterns in the syrup. She is disappointed, of course, in him and in herself. Sad. She knows he was not meant for her and she was definitely not meant for him, but this revelation is still raw. Painful. Her first love was supposed to be something to be cherished. Something to look back on fondly and with nostalgia, not fear and loathing.

She feels guilty. She put her father through such hell, and for what? He was scared out of his mind when she ran off to Phoenix with some of the cruelest words that she has ever said, and again when she chased after Edward to go to Volterra. The latter, in particular, makes her feel gullible. Alice's insistence that her physical presence was necessary was, in retrospect, ridiculous. Between phone calls and Edward's mind-reading abilities, there should have been no reason for her to get on a plane. She was so foolish.

And the awful things she said to Jacob. She doesn't think she will ever forgive herself for the way she treated him. She might as well have just spit on him. Her love, her life, her home. She came so close to losing everything, all for a monster who, to his credit, announced his own devious nature to her on the day she day she confronted him about what he really was. Why didn't she listen?

Jacob sees the sadness across her features and sets down his fork, reaching over the island to engulf her small hand in his large one, tipping her chin up with the other. "Hey now, what's that all about? Where'd your beautiful smile go?"

She meets his eyes. "I just feel like such a fool, Jacob."

His expression softens. "It's not your fault, honey. He was a master manipulator. I fell for it too."

"What do you mean?" Bella is confused. Jacob might not have figured out the details, but he warned her away from Edward from the very beginning, as early as her prom, even when he didn't know what he was talking about.

Jacob sighs. "Canada. He sent that vampire up there just so I'd follow. Like a donkey following a carrot, Bells. I fell for him too. He was trying to get me away from you, and it worked."

She gives him a small smile. "But distance doesn't matter, Jake, I think we figured that out. Not for you and me."

He squeezes her hand. "But I'm sorry, anyway, for ever leaving you alone with him. And I'm so sorry for what he did to you, Bells. For all of it."

"You saved me, Jake. On every level. So don't you dare be sorry. But tell me," she asks. She wants to know everything he knows. "Tell me what he did."

Jacob sighs and nods. She deserves any information he has. "I think you heard us talking when you were waking up yesterday?" Bella nods. "I got the information from the newborn we've been after."

"She's dead?" Bella asks.

"Not quite," Jacob clarifies, "Torn into a few pieces which are all being stored separately. I, um, convinced her to talk. She's been useful so far, so I'm not in a hurry to get rid of her yet. Not quite yet, anyway." He takes a deep breath and explains what Bree had told them, about her fake near miss with the thugs in Port Angeles, about Edward's involvement in bringing James, Victoria, and Laurent to Forks, and about Edward's deal with Bree herself. Then she wants to know more about how Jacob found her. He tries to abbreviate the story for her, but she presses him for details. He reluctantly provides them, sheepishly looking at the ceiling and rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

Bella is so proud of him. Proud of him to the point that he is embarrassed. Her Jacob is turning out to be someone spectacular.

After filling her in, Jacob stands to clear and wash the plates. He still hasn't put on any clothes. She had forgotten, and her gaze darkens as she takes him his form. He turns from the sink to find her eyes on him. A mischievous twinkle is in his eye.

She teases him, "So it embarrasses you to talk about your skills as a spirit warrior, but you can stand there totally nude and look me right in the eye?"

He smirks at her. "Well, I knew you liked this body way before you liked any of the rest of me, Bells."

"That's not true!" she protests.

"Okay," he laughs. "You liked me before the body, but you didn't_ like_ like me until after."

"You're making me sound so shallow!"

He has a huge grin on his face. "I feel like such a piece of meat around you, Bells. Like you're only after one thing. Maybe I should have made you wait a little longer. I probably gave it up too fast." She smacks him on the arm across the island. "After all," he continues, "I'm just a kid. I'm being taken advantage of an attractive older woman." She jumps out of her seat and races around it, but he pops up too fast for her. "There's a term for women like you, Bells. You're a cougar!"

She grabs the kitchen towel off the hook and smacks his bare behind with it, chasing him into the common room. He allows her to tackle him onto the plush rug in front of the fireplace, and they fall onto it, laughing. "Ooh, is the cougar going to bite me?" he asks.

Then she pins him down with her fingers tangled in his, straddling his hips. The mood changes instantly, and she feels his length grow rigid between her thighs. "You ready to go back to the house, or you wanna stay here?" she asks as she grinds down against him, swirling her sex against his.

A disappointed groan is her only reply. "Bells, I only had the one condom," he pouts adorably.

"Is that why you held out so long earlier?" she asks. Even by Jacob's standards, their lovemaking had been a marathon session. Normally he would have allowed himself to orgasm more than once during that period of time. He nods, embarrassed, looking at the ceiling.

She smiles down at him and slides the robe off her shoulders and onto the floor. "I can work under these conditions." She slithers down his legs to take him in her mouth. He whimpers happily in reply. It takes them another hour to actually leave.

When they arrive at the vacation rental, a familiar police cruiser sits in the drive. They get closer and hear comical yelling coming from the inside.

"No, no, flush it this way!"

"It's going to... Over here..."

"Crap!" and a loud crash and muffled laughter.

Bella and Jacob enter the wide open front door to see a Canada goose in the living room, flapping its wings wildly over the broken remnants of a vase. The large bird dominates the space. Quil stands in the entryway to the kitchen while Embry blocks the stairs, both crouched in defensive positions. Both of their hair is peppered with feathers. Charlie sits on the couch next to Billy, seated in his wheelchair, the older men laughing at them both.

"What the hell are you guys doing?" Jacob demands.

"Your little pied piper routine got kind of out of hand, Jake," snaps an irritated Embry. "It took all night to get all the animals out of this place. This is the last one."

Quil holds out a totally unremarkable hand. "Damn thing is vicious. Do geese have rabies? 'Cause it totally bit my hand. Thinks my fingers are worms to eat or something."

"Pansy. You can't get rabies from a freaking goose!" laughs Jacob. "I know I didn't call any geese, you morons. Don't blame this on me. When did it get in?"

Embry straightens up. "Fine," he says, grumpily. "It got in while we were chasing the last squirrels out."

"Mm hmm," Jacob replies.

"Which was two hours ago!" Charlie shakes with laughter.

Billy adds, "This is better than watching television. I wish I had a video camera! Wait, let me show you." He rolls forward, rushing the bird, which panics and flies into Embry's face, pecking at his head as he yells and flails. Charlie falls backward onto the couch as he guffaws. Bella is slightly appalled at their fathers' behavior, but it is impossible not to be amused.

"Amateurs," Jacob says, stepping forward to pull a feather out of Embry's hair. He calmly approaches the spooked goose and points at the door. "Out is that way. I'm gonna help you find it." The bird flutters upward but he reaches out with lightning quick reflexes and grabs it by one leg, tucks it under his arm, and walks out the door. He returns a second later empty-handed and asks, "Anything else?"

Embry and Quil just grunt in response. Charlie answers, "Alice and Esme Cullen will be by tomorrow to take care of the property damage and broken furniture. They would have come today, but there isn't really any rush, and Rosalie said they were probably going to be mourning today." He looks angry as he makes the latter statement. As far as he is concerned, the world is a better place now that Edward Cullen is truly dead. But he manages not to say it out loud. He does open his arms to draw his daughter in for a rare hug while Billy reaches up to hug Jacob. "But I couldn't care less what they do, seeing as you're okay now, Bells. You are okay, aren't you?" He leans back to examine her closely.

Bella nods in reassurance. "Yeah, dad, I'm fine."

"Thanks to you, son," Charlie let's go of Bella so he can shake Jacob's hand vigorously in a double handed grasp. "You have my express permission to put the beat down on anyone who even looks at her sideways, from here on out, okay?"

Jacob chuckles and agrees while Bella yells an appalled protest of, "Dad!"

Charlie laughs and shakes his head at his daughter. "Between your judgement of character and his, Bells, I'm going with Jake any day. Your track record isn't the best."

Billy jokes, "Come on, let us drive you home, lock you in the house, and never let you out again. Jake can stand out front and guard the door."

"That's not a bad idea, Billy. You don't mind, do you Jake?" deadpans Charlie.

"Can I come inside once in a while?" Jacob asks.

"Oh, I'm sure they'll let you in for meals, son," Billy chuckles.

"Then I'm in," nods Jacob.

Bella just rolls her eyes and escapes up the stairs. She wants her copy of Robinson Crusoe back. When she gets to the bedroom where she was held captive, she stares for several seconds. The pack had driven out the animals already, and the area left behind looks much as it did before her rescue began. She spies her book lying forgotten on the floor by the bookcase. She picks it up carefully. Edward had crushed the daisy jacob had given her that was contained inside, but she open it and thumbs through the pages anyway. To her delight, a single petal from the flower remains pressed inside. She smiles to herself and carefully closes the petal back inside and leaves the room. The space holds no meaning for her any longer.

When she returns downstairs, Billy and Charlie are still laughing at her expense, so she heads for the door. "I'm just gonna wait in the car," she mutters.

Jacob jogs after her. "Can I ride back with you guys?"

Quil pipes up, "You can run back in, like, half the time it'll take them to drive!"

But Jacob nearly lost Bella the night before. The memory is still fresh and raw, and he isn't ready to let her out of his sight. He knows that if he doesn't go back with them, he'll run by them in wolf form the whole way anyway, keeping her in his line of vision as much as possible. Bella sees this without needing to be told, and reaches her hand out for him. "I'd feel better if Jacob came along, anyway." It is true. All joking aside, she feels safest in his presence, and would just as soon not be parted from him so soon. "It isn't like there's no room in the car."

But there really is not enough room for Jacob's long legs in the back seat of the cruiser. It isn't a small car by any means, but he still needs to fold himself up in order to fit back there. But the discomfort is easily worth the trouble when it allows Bella to curl up against him. She falls asleep tucked under his arm as soon as they hit the interstate, and he closes his eyes and listens to her even breathing. He nearly falls asleep himself until he notices the turnoff for Little Kachess Lake and asks for a detour to settle his bill at the cabin. Charlie offers to cover the cost, then looks with slight alarm at the small pile of one hundred dollar bills that Jacob pulls out of his pocket. Jacob notices Charlie's eyes in the mirror and explains, "Cullen's cash. I figure it's fair for him to put us up for a night after what he put us through."

Charlie nods. "Sounds good to me. You gonna put on a shirt before you go into the office, son?"

"Don't have one," replies Jacob. "Money's the same whether or not I'm wearing more clothes, though."

It turns out that the clerk is quite pleased with Jacob's attire. The blonde girl from the night before is not there, but her sister is. Jacob is fairly certain that she must have been forewarned about Jacob's presence in the honeymoon suite, as well as his inappropriate attire, because the new clerk just smirks at him, smacking her gum and twirling a lock of hair around her finger when he comes inside to pay. She does raise a brow at the money he pulls out, and along with his change slips him a note with her phone number on it. He slides it back toward her on the table. "You do know I came here with someone, right?"

She shrugs and replies, "Doesn't matter. I can still show you a good time."

He just frowns and turns to leave, so she clarifies, "I can show you and your girlfriend a good time together."

Jacob, startled at her forwardness, exclaims only, "Oh, god!" which she misinterprets as interest, stepping around the counter to run her fingers up his arm with one hand and stuff her number in his pocket with the other. He starts to protest, thinks better of it and just opens the door to leave, which is when she notices the police cruiser and asks, "Hey, you a cop?"

Jacob pauses, "Do I look like a cop?"

"You look like you could fill out a uniform," she replies saucily. "And I'd let you handcuff me any day." Jacob blushes and flees, but he only escapes to a different humiliation. His father and Charlie heard the entire exchange through the open windows of the car and the office, and laugh heartily at his expense as he slams the door shut.

"That's what you get for never putting on a damn shirt, boy!" Billy roars.

Bella, who had woken up just in time to hear the clerk's comments, whispers low enough that their laughing fathers don't hear her and says, "She's right. You could fill out a uniform, and I'd let you cuff me too." And Jacob just blushes harder.

The ride home is otherwise uneventful. When Jacob's stomach growls, Charlie stops to pick up hamburgers, and Jacob eats five by himself. Bella sleeps right through it, curled into Jacob's side. Billy wants to know everything about both Jacob's spirit walks, as well as the direct encounter with Cullen and its aftermath. Jacob tells the tale and answers questions from both Billy and Charlie, and partway through realizes that Bella woke up at some point and has been listening intently.

"I wonder if the others can also go on spirit walks?" muses Billy. "Do you think you can teach them, son?"

Jacob really has no idea. Although based on Quil and Embry's inability to wrangle the goose that morning, he suspects they are poor candidates for communicating with animals. But he needs to stop and analyze what he does to send his spirit out, break it down, and see if he can even explain it to someone else before he can figure out if he can teach it to anyone. He almost feels bad that everyone now knows that Old Quil's ritual was a sham. Otherwise he could just have the elder repeat his ceremony to see if the others could do it as well.

By nightfall, they drive right past Forks. Charlie doesn't even stop to ask if Bella wants to go home. He bypasses it entirely in favor of driving to the reservation. Bella is a bit confused when they do not go directly to the Black home, but soon realizes they are headed for the Clearwater residence. When Billy and Charlie left earlier in the day, Seth's status was still unchanged, much to everyone's alarm. The fathers drop them off at the front door and head back to the Black house so that Billy can take his insulin.

But when they approach the house, the mood inside is boisterous. The first voice they hear is raspy and dry, but they thrill to hear the sound. Seth is yelling, "Oh my god, make it stop! Get them away from me! They're perverts, and they're corrupting my young, innocent mind! And I can't even defend myself!"

Jacob breaks away from Bella to run in the door. "Seth? Seth!"

Bella follows. When she enters, Jacob has Seth wrapped into a bear hug. Embry and Quil sit on the couch snacking on a huge bowl of popcorn. They have smug looks on their faces, no doubt from beating Jacob back to the rez by running in wolf form instead of taking the slow automobile. Seth is awkwardly seated up in a hospital bed in the living room, his arms sticking out at awkward angles as Jacob embraces him. "Hey, I can feel you crushing me. I can feel you crushing me!" he says enthusiastically.

"Um, yay?" asks Bella. Jacob releases Seth to turn back to Bella, and Seth tips back into his pillows. He clearly has very little motor control. Bella moves to sit on the other side of the bed. "Seth, are you okay?" she asks.

He replies happily, "Look, I can wiggle my fingers!" and does so enthusiastically.

Rosalie emerges from the kitchen, Leah right on her heels. "Anyone else with his injuries would be a quadriplegic for life, Bella." She turns to Jacob. "Your tribal council, or really, your dad mostly, gave me a free pass to the reservation, indefinitely. And Sue had to go to work, so here I am."

Seth interrupts, "But I can feel Jacob squishing me, and I can do this!" He wiggles his fingers again, just because he can.

"That's great! It means he should probably make a full recovery. Not sure how long, but he should be back to normal relatively soon."

"And in the meantime," Seth interrupts, "everyone is obliged to wait on me hand and foot. But I need different nursemaids. These two are driving me nuts!" He nods toward Rosalie and his sister, and then to Embry and Quil, "And those two are just egging them on!"

"What were you yelling about when we got in here?" Jacob asks.

Quil answers, "Oh man, it's awesome. We're just sitting in here and watching them go. It's a spectator sport."

Seth makes a face and Leah answers, "My brother has delicate sensibilities. He doesn't want to hear us talking about S-E-X," she mock whispers loudly.

"They're awful!" Seth yells. "It's bad enough hearing your sister talk about doing anything with anybody, but they're talking about perverted vampire sex!"

Rosalie protests, "It's not perverted!" and she pauses, "At least, it's not always perverted." And she and Leah break into hopeless peals of laughter.

Leah straightens up and states, "I say it's all a big lie. I think it isn't physically possible for two rocks to have sex with one another. And don't even get me started on kinky vampire on human action."

"Eww!" yells Seth, who would love to be able to cover his ears, but is unable to move his arms yet. Quil and Embry cackle with laughter from the couch.

Leah continues. "I don't see how a rock can have sex with another rock, and vampires feel like rocks." She reaches out to pinch Rosalie's arm to illustrate the complete lack of pliability in the skin.

Rosalie flinches and smacks Leah's hand away. "Quit that before I rip off your fingers!" she replies without any real annoyance.

"See?" Leah says, "I prove my point. Hard as stone. I don't see how she's able to have sex with anyone."

"Ah!" yells Seth. "See what I've been putting up with all afternoon? Not only is my sister talking about sex, she's talking about _her_ having sex," he says, looking pointedly at Rosalie, "And it is officially the most uncomfortable thing ever!"

"I have amazing sex. Better sex than you've had in your life, Clearwater," Rosalie retorts.

Seth yells, "Lalalalalalala I can't hear you!" in a futile attempt to drown them out, while Quil yells,

"Oooh, tell us more, Blondie!"

"Look," Rosalie replies, "Just think of it this way, Leah. Without getting into too much lurid detail." Quil whines in disappointment. "If I was exactly as hard as stone, I couldn't move my arm," she flexes at the elbow to illustrate, "and I couldn't talk either," she says, gesturing to her mouth as it moves. "My body parts move and have some flexibility. Let's just leave it at that."

Quil pipes up, "Let's not leave it at that. I need a more comprehensive explanation."

Rosalie marches up to him and punches him in the arm, which only results in laughter from him and from Embry.

"Okay, fine, I can see how something just as hard as you can have sex with you," says Leah. "But what about those vampy chicks who like to have sex with human men, then? Explain how that works!"

"Yeah!" Quil pipes up, enthusiastically. "Explain that, please, in extreme detail!" This time Embry smacks Quil himself.

"Wait, what?" asks Jacob. He hasn't heard of this phenomenon, and finds the entire thing quite disturbing. But not as much as Seth, who lies on his bed with a scowl on his face.

"They're friends of ours," explains Rosalie, "who inspired the legend of the succubus, demons who kill men after having sex with them. One of them is the mate of Laurent, the vampire you killed protecting Bella. They are vegetarians like us. They enjoy the company of human men without killing them."

"How the hell does that work?" Jacob asks, perplexed.

"With centuries of practicing restraint," Rosalie shrugs. "If you think that most vampires wouldn't have the willpower to avoid draining a human while having sex, you're right. But the Denali sisters have been practicing for centuries."

"Think one of them might be interested in practicing on me?" Quil leers. This time, both Embry and Leah lean over to smack him upside the head. "Hey!" he protests. "Was one of them the vamp that Jacob seduced up in Vancouver?"

Now Jacob is the one protesting. "I didn't seduce her! She tried to seduce me and I ripped her to shreds!"

Rosalie looks surprised, and wants to know the story, which Quil tells enthusiastically and with many factual errors. Leah rolls her eyes. "Only, like, a quarter of that was true. But we're getting away from my original question."

"Which is deeply important, might I add," quips Seth, staring at the ceiling sadly. "Can we talk about something else? Or can somebody put me back in a coma again until the conversation is over?"

"No!" reply Quil and Leah at once. Embry sits on the couch, shaking with laughter.

"I want to know how a squishy human man can get it on with a rock," Leah declares.

"For the last time, we're flexible!" Rosalie yells.

"Okay, but what I want to know is how the male anatomy works," Quil asks.

"Planning on switching teams?" Embry teases, and gets punched in the arm for it.

"Like you've never wondered before," Quil retorts, punching Embry back. It degenerates into a wrestling match on the floor.

"The testosterone in here is overwhelming," Rosalie says, turning to Leah. "How do you stand it?"

"Oh, this isn't even the half of it. Try taking a peek inside their brains."

"Disgusting place, I'm sure," replies Rosalie.

"Hey, I resent that!" pipes up Jacob.

"No, yours is just _BellaBellaBellaBella _on a continuous, pathetic loop," Quil says, grabbing Embry in a headlock.

"You're so much worse!" retorts Embry, who grasps Quil's arm around his neck and uses it to flip him onto his back. "At least Jacob has normal girlfriend sex on his mind. You're just all _ClaireClaireClaireClaire_ and it's all My Little Pony and kittens and rainbows up in there!"

"Hey, who doesn't love kittens?" Seth asks, "Let's talk about kittens more," he says, trying to keep the conversation away from sex.

Rosalie examines the wrestling, shirtless boys, and says, "Actually, it's rather homoerotic, isn't it, Leah?"

Leah doubles over in hysterical laughter, choking, "Yes, yes it is!" while Embry and Quil instantly spring apart from one another. Embry knocks over one of Sue's floor lamps in his haste to separate from his best friend, while Quil actually falls out the front door onto the porch.

From outside, Quil yells, "It's violent and manly! Not.. that thing you just said!"

Seth yells, "I didn't think it could get any worse, but it just did!" He lifts his right hand to rub his face, but it just falls back to the bed.

Bella is the only one who notices. "Seth! Oh my god, Seth! You did it! Look what you did!"

In his embarrassed state, Seth still hasn't realized what he could do. "Huh?" he asks, bewildered.

"Pick up your arm, you just did it, pick up your arm again!" Bella encourages him enthusiastically.

"Oh, well, here..." And to his own shock, Seth lifts his right arm a good six inches off the bed before it falls back to the soft surface. "Woo hoo!" he hollers, stimulating cheers and claps all around.

By the time Sue gets home, Seth is able to plug his ears with his fingers. But thankfully, the conversation has moved away from the sex habits of both vampires and his packmates, so he no longer needs to block his hearing.

Sue is overjoyed to see her son's progress. He had just woken up when she was called in to work. She had previously taken time off to be with Seth, but a rash of the stomach flu had left her unit desperately understaffed, so she had agreed to take a shift after he awoke. But at the time she had left, he had regained no sensation or movement below the neck.

Sue cries happy tears when she comes home and gives her son a hug that he is actually able to return. She nearly tackles Jacob with a hug of gratitude. "You saved him, Jacob. You saved both of them." Happy tears stream down her face, and she even embraces a startled Rosalie. "And you. You came to help my son when he needed you, and I heard what you did for Bella and Jacob. You're welcome in my home anytime. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."

The hug surprises Rosalie more than anything has in a very long time. After a beat, she hugs Sue back. "You're welcome," she says quietly.

"And I'm sorry about your brother." Sue means it sincerely, and Rosalie can tell.

"Thank you." She pulls back. "I think a hundred years of being bombarded by everyone's thoughts finally got to be too much," Rosalie says a bit wistfully. "I was genuinely shocked that he hurt you," she says, turning to Seth. "He said more than once that he really liked you. And for Edward, that was quite rare."

Jacob turns to Seth. "We never did figure out exactly what happened. Do you remember?"

Set nods. "Sort of. I was just coming out of the house from getting Charlie back inside. I was still in human form. I was trying to get back into the trees so I could phase back. But instead, he must have been on the roof. I heard him, but not quite soon enough. He got the drop on me from above. I remember smelling him and hearing him a split second before he landed on me, but I was too exposed to phase, and didn't have the time anyway. There was just awful pain on the back of my neck, and then nothing until I woke up here. Mom told me why I couldn't move. I hear I have you to thank for keeping my spine intact?" Jacob doesn't know what to say, so he says nothing. "Thanks, then. You're a damn good Alpha." His packmates nod in solemn agreement.

Jacob replies, "Well, your sis was the one who held Cullen still so I could get his head off. She's the reason he isn't still around. And these guys made sure he wasn't coming back." He nods at Embry and Quil.

"There's a reason you guys exist as a pack instead of lone wolves," Rosalie adds. "You're a force that way, that's for sure."

"I think after your performance yesterday," Jacob responds, "You're pretty much a member yourself. Like the council said, you've got a free pass to the Rez for life."

Rosalie would blush if she could. Leah, sensing her embarrassment, chimes in, "She wants to join this pack about as much as she wants to show Quil how a succubus works, Jake," simultaneously breaking the tension and getting in a dig on Quil.

Raucous laughter surrounds them before Rosalie's phone rings, and she steps outside. Jacob hears the somber tone in her voice and follows. He returns a few minutes later with a drawn look on his face. He gives a small smile to Bella, and she excuses herself from Seth's side to go outside with him. He takes her hand and kisses it gently.

"Let's just go home and get some sleep, okay honey?"

"Is everything okay, Jacob?" she asks.

"I'll make sure everything is okay, but can we start that tomorrow? Can we just be us tonight?"

She wraps her arms around his middle and squeezes tight. He buries his nose in her hair and breathes deeply. She doesn't need him to explain anyway. She figured it out already. Bella saw Edward on the phone several times before he was killed. There is only one place he could have gone to for help. He must have asked the Volturi to come even sooner than already planned. Alice must have seen it. She had held out some hope that once Edward was dead, they would not bother her, but it is not to be.

She sits on the porch step and tugs him down beside her. There is no need to trouble anyone further tonight. There will be time enough for that tomorrow. He watches clouds pass over the moon with her and listens to the happy sounds of his friends inside until Charlie returns to drive her home.

"Mind if I come along, Charlie?"

By now, Charlie has figured out that if he doesn't allow Jacob to stay in the house, the boy will undoubtedly sit outside her window all night long. And after they both came so close to losing Bella, he understands Jacob's need to be close. He nods. "No funny business. You're on the couch tonight." Jacob smiles.

"Thanks, Charlie."

As it turns out, Bella is the one who can't stay apart from Jacob. He doesn't fit on the couch at all, so he simply drops a pillow on the floor and stretches out there. Comfortable or not, he can hear Bella's breathing and steady heartbeat above him, and it is more soothing than a lullaby. But she cannot hear him so easily, and after tossing and turning interminably, she creeps down the stairs.

The next morning, Charlie finds Bella draped over Jacob like a blanket in the middle of the living room floor. Both teenagers are fast asleep.


	40. Chapter 40

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Saturday  
X-x-x-x-X

Something is tickling Jacob's face. It's probably the same thing that's in his mouth. Hair. There is hair in his mouth that is also brushing against his neck and chin. He wiggles his nose and turns his head in an attempt to get away. It doesn't work. The hair is tenacious. He should really push it off him. But attached to the hair is a soft, warm body that he doesn't want to let go of. What to do, what to do? It's a conundrum. He can't move the soft body, because the soft body is perfection. Particularly when the body is naked. Maybe he should strip the body of everything. Clothes and hair both. Naked body, naked head. Oh, wait. That can't be right. Normally he loves the hair. Just not in his mouth.

He should slip his hands up to brush the hair away. Instead, of their own accord, his hands slip down to round softness. He cups the softness in his hands and pulls it against him. Ooh. That's nice. He tugs the softness against his straining morning wood and decides that he can put up with the hair as long as he can keep grinding the softness into his hardness. Mmmm.

Someone clears their throat. A male someone. Hmph. That's the wrong sound. He wants to hear a whimper or a sigh. A feminine one. He is fairly certain that the warm softness pressed up against him is not male. Maybe he if grinds just the right way he can draw the right sound out of the soft body. He sinks his fingers into soft rounded flesh again and grinds harder.

"Jacob," a voice hisses. That's a feminine voice, but the wrong one. He groans and grips the body tighter.

"Bella!" the female voice is louder. The male throat-clearing sound happens again. Jacob smacks his lips and tries to get rid of the hair in his mouth, and grinds against the body more.

A door opens, and a whoosh of cool air blows the hair off his face. Much better. Until the sound of snickering, and another, more irritated throat clearing. The feminine voice again. "Guys! Wake up!"

Jacob wants all the other voices to go away. He wants to be left alone with the soft body so he can strip it naked and bury himself inside. Bella's body. That's the name of the body. The feminine voice hissed it.

Loudly, deep male laughter. The door slams shut and Jacob finally wakes up. He opens his bleary eyes to see Paul Lahote laughing at him, hard, as Rachel looks at them both, appalled, and Charlie Swan stands frowning from the kitchen scowling at him. Bella is still asleep. He still has her ass palmed in both hands and... oh shit... is still actively grinding his erection into her warmth.

He abruptly yanks his hands off her and places them flat on the floor by his now-still hips.

"You get a pass since she'd have died two days ago if it weren't for you, but it's a one-time pass. Next time I shoot you," growls Charlie. "Keep your hands to yourself." Jacob would slide Bella off him, but his erection is still very, very prominent, and is sticking out of the waistband of his shorts. Right now the only thing keeping him from showing it off to everyone is Bella herself. Jacob doesn't move. He just blinks at the ceiling and wills himself to disappear into the floorboards. He fails. Paul manages to keep his laughter to himself, shaking but making no more noise.

Then the worst thing possible happens. Bella starts to wake up, but only a little, not enough to know they aren't alone. She starts to wiggle on him. "Mmmmm, Jacob." She locks her legs on either side of his waist and shifts on his body while his brain freezes in terror. "You feel so good, baby," she murmurs in her sexy bedroom voice. His dick reacts happily, straining against her, while Charlie reaches toward his hip to unclip his sidearm.

Jacob's brain unlocks. "Morning, honey! Say 'hi' to your dad and Rach and Paul!" he interrupts frantically. Paul lets out another loud burst of hysterical laughter, and Bella picks her head up with wide eyes. He senses that she is about to scramble off him, which he absolutely will not let her do since her body is blocking the bulbous head of his cock from view. He can't grab her by the waist; Charlie will shoot him. So instead he grasps at her hands, a normally innocent gesture that, in this case, causes her to lose her balance and fall back into him, knocking the top of her head against his chin. He barely feels it.

But Bella says, "Ow," and rubs at her forehead with her hand. Jacob takes advantage and uses it as a totally unnecessary excuse to flee.

"Oh no, honey! Let's go get you some ice! And take a look at that in the mirror. C'mon." He awkwardly makes his way to his feet without letting her go, keeping her wrapped around his middle.

"Wait, Jake, I don't..." she starts to protest.

"It's okay," he cuts her off, "I've got you. Let's go take a look at that in the bathroom. Make sure you don't bruise."

"But the ice is in the kitchen," she points over his shoulder as has he runs up the stairs. Paul howls with laughter behind them. "And I don't need any ice anyway."

He sets her down on the countertop in the bathroom, kicking the door shut behind them. He reaches around her to turn on the water to muffle their voices, and finally pulls away and leans back against the door.

"Ohhh," she breathes. "That's what that was all about!" she says, giggling and pointing at his crotch. He tries to pull his waistband over the head of his penis, but the fabric is not flexible and it simply doesn't fit.

"Couldn't you feel it?" he asks. "Wasn't I, like, stabbing you in the gut?"

She snorts with laughter. "Yeah, but I didn't put two and two together. I just woke up, you know?"

He sighs and stops trying to stuff himself back into his pants. "Yeah, me too. It was awesome waking up with you on top of me until I realized we weren't alone."

"Oh my god," she stops. "They knew exactly what was going on, too! Hey, why does that turn you on? Do you like having an audience?" She teases him and gestures at his still-prominent erection.

"No! I swear!" Jacob blushes. "It's just nerves! Nerves and morning wood. There's nothing I can do about it." He tries once more to cram himself back in his shorts and fails again.

She smirks at him saucily and hops off the counter, stalking toward him and pressing him back against the door with her hands against his bare chest. "I bet there's something I can do about it."

"Oh, you're gonna get me killed! Your dad actually reached for his gun this morning, Bells!" He protests half heartedly, but he doesn't actually push her away. Instead, he leans down to kiss her, and his problem only worsens. It continues until he hears footsteps coming lightly up the stairs.

Paul whispers through the door, "Charlie is pissed, man. You'd better not be getting it on in there, because if you are, say goodbye to your nuts!"

"Okay, okay," he pants, peeling Bella off him. She pouts in protest. "You're not helping," he accuses her. "I need a cold shower, but then Charlie will think I've just, uh, taken care of the problem by myself up here, and that's not okay either. He'll still kill me. I need to get rid of this now, and go downstairs in a presentable fashion!"

"Ooh, I have an idea!" Bella opens the door, and Paul nearly falls in. "Outta my way!" She scoots around him and heads for her bedroom, rummaging around. She returns only seconds later. "Got it, this should work!" She hands Jacob a picture of Edward embracing her. His erection disappears instantly.

"Never thought I'd be happy to see a picture like that, Bells. Thanks!" He kisses her on top of her head and heads down the stairs. He needs Charlie to see that he isn't impregnating Bella.

Bella tries to shut the door to the bathroom, but Paul is still leaning in the doorjamb leering at her. "Nice jammies," he says. She looks down at herself. She wears a thin cotton t-shirt and boyshorts, and she realizes her nipples are prominently outlined after her little makeout session with Jacob. "Very, um, well fitted." But before she has the chance to come up with a retort, she hears Rachel's voice floating up the stairs.

"Seriously, Lahote? Are you really hitting on my baby brother's girlfriend?" There is no real malice in her voice, but Paul instantly looks ashamed and stuffs his hands in his pockets. He almost falls backward in his haste to get away from Bella, who closes the door. Through it she hears him defending himself.

"Old habits die hard, ba-" He abruptly cuts himself off.

"Were you about to call me 'baby'?" Now Rachel actually sounds mad.

"Uh..." Paul has an extremely difficult time lying to Rachel, no matter how much he wants to.

"Do you, or do you not, know what my name is?" Ooh. She really is angry.

"Yes, Rachel," he sounds contrite, and Bella hears him shuffling down the stairs.

"You know, I was seriously considering skipping my road trip to hang out with you. But now, I can't think of a single reason I should do that."

"C'mon, honey. Don't be that way," he pleads.

"Don't 'honey' me!" Rachel is almost yelling. "Not after this morning. And to think I was just going to look the other way!" Their voices fade as they move into the kitchen. Bella gets ready quickly so she can find out what happened that morning between Paul and Rachel. She also suddenly realizes she has no idea if she is supposed to go to work or not, nor does she know what the Newtons think she was doing while she was being held captive. She emerges on the first floor and enters the kitchen, where Charlie sits at his kitchen table, looking back and forth between Paul and Rachel as if he is watching a tennis match.

Rachel is still angry. She has stopped yelling, but the low anger in her voice is even worse. "What was her name, Paul?"

"Um..." Paul clearly has no idea. Bella doesn't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that Paul can't remember.

Charlie leans over to explain while Paul struggles. "Apparently, when they went for breakfast today, they ran into some girl Paul used to know."

"Was there some kind of confrontation?" Bella whispers, afraid that another one of Paul's exes propositioned Rachel.

Charlie shakes his head. "Not with the girl. I thought maybe Paul hit on the girl in front of Rachel and made her angry. But that's not it. For some reason, Rachel is really angry that he can't remember the girl's name." Oh. Bella understands this, even if Charlie does not. Rachel thinks that Paul's inability to recall his conquests' names is an expression of his overall level of lecherousness.

Rachel continues when it becomes clear that Paul will not remember no matter how long she waits him out. "So where do you get off with all the male posturing, huh?" Paul looks to Jacob pleadingly, who looks studiously away and refuses to get in the middle of this confrontation.

Bella whispers to her father, "What happened?"

Rachel responds directly. "He growled, Bella. A nice guy held the door open for me, and he actually growled at him. He is totally unable to abide by normal human courtesy! He can screw any willing female around, but can't be bothered to learn her name, while someone else is just polite to me, and this animal nearly tears his head off! And then he has the nerve to hit on you as soon as we get here?"

"Wait, you hit on Bella, and not on my sister?" Jacob straightens up from his position leaning against the counter.

"No... Well, yeah, but her shirt was all tight and it was just out of habit!" Paul only digs himself deeper with everyone in the room.

"Hey, wait," Bella mutters under her breath. "Did I just get insulted?"

Charlie would put Paul in his place, but he sees that Jacob has it in hand. Jacob leans over Paul and roars, "Do you even hear yourself?"

At the very same moment, Rachel says, "Just stop talking while you're behind!"

Charlie leans toward Bella and whispers, "I don't get it. Does Jacob want Paul to hit on Rachel?" Bella doesn't know how to answer this, and simply shrugs. Charlie asks what he thinks is a simpler question. "Are these two seeing each other, or not?"

Simultaneously, Rachel yells, "No!" while Paul says, "Yes!"

Charlie just winces on Paul's behalf and says, "Ouch. Well, this has been entertaining, but I'm late for work." He stands to leave.

"Hey wait," Bella stops him. "Am I late for work?"

"Oh, sorry, Bells. I forgot to tell you. We told the Newtons you twisted your ankle. You're off until the doctor clears you to come back, or so they think. May as well take a little extra time." He sticks his finger in Jacob's chest. "To rest and recuperate. Not to screw around."

"Yes, sir," Jacob replies sheepishly. Charlie closes the front door behind him. As soon as he leaves, Jacob asks his sister what is going on between her and Paul, who has gone to sit on the back porch to wallow in his misery.

"Well, you know we've been going out for breakfast lately," Rachel begins. Jacob and Bella nod. "It was going okay until today. I mean, he's charming and funny and all." Bella can see from her position at the kitchen table that Paul has perked up at bit at this last sentence. "But today I remembered how much of an ass he is!" Paul crumples in on himself.

"Rach, take it easy!" Jacob chides. Rachel still hasn't figured out just how much power she holds over Paul, and clearly still thinks of him as being infatuated with her rather than bonded for life. Jacob realizes just how intolerable Paul will be if he and Rachel can't come to some kind of middle ground. "But he is sort of an ass," Jacob admits as Rachel glares at him.

Rachel sighs. "We went to that bakery again, and there was a girl in line behind us."

"She doesn't mean anything to me, Rachel!" Paul calls out from his position outside.

"That's just the problem!" Rachel says, exasperated. "You slept with her, right?" Paul doesn't deny it. "I don't care that you slept with her, you're allowed to have a past. I'm not exactly an untouched virgin myself, you know!" Paul actually doubles over in pain at her statement, and Jacob winces, both due to the agony rolling off Paul in waves, as well as the thought of his sister doing... anything at all. Oblivious, Rachel continues, "The problem is that you don't respect these girls enough to even know who they are. Women aren't just a collection of holes for you to stick your dick in, Paul! She should have meant something to you, once upon a time. I can at least remember the names of my one-night-stands!"

Paul feels crushing pain in his chest. It comes from all directions. Guilt, for one, since Rachel is absolutely right. Despair, for another, since he knows that he won't be able to muster up interest in any woman other than Rachel between now and the day he dies, and whatever progress he was making with her seems to have been wiped out in a single blow this morning. And anger. Pure, white-hot rage at the thought of the men who have come before him. And terror at the men who may come after, particularly the way things look this morning. Do they have a future at all?

And Rachel is nowhere near done with her tirade. "And every guy who opens the door for me isn't trying to get into my pants!"

"You didn't see him, Rach!" Paul protests. She might be right about him not knowing the name of the girl in line, but she didn't see the guy checking out the sway of Rachel's behind as she exited the shop. "He was ogling you. Undressing you with his eyes!"

"You'd know all about that, wouldn't you! You're an expert!" she yells back. "And to have the nerve to growl at some other guy who didn't say a single rude word to me, and then come back here and ogle Bella? Right in front of me? Talk about your double standard!" she rages.

Paul is ashamed at this. He absolutely did do it. Stupidly, with Bella's Alpha male, protective mate just feet away. Jacob would tear his head off himself if Rachel wasn't already doing such a good job of it. He has no idea why he said anything to Bella. Any attraction he ever had to any woman who isn't Rachel Black has been erased completely. And he never liked Bella Swan to begin with. He meant it when he said it was just out of habit. He opens the back door and approaches her, hands open to her in supplication.

"I'm so sorry, baby." The word slips out of his mouth, seemingly against his will. He can feel it coming up on him, like seeing yourself getting into a car accident, disaster approaching as time slows, with no ability to stop it.

"And that word! That goddamn word!" To Rachel, it is the singular embodiment of everything she despises most in Paul Lahote. The word he calls a girl when he cannot remember her name but wants to sleep with her anyway. "Don't you ever, ever call me 'baby' ever again!" She jumps back from him, yanking her hands away from his. "I was going to let you kiss me today. I'm so glad you stopped me from making such a big mistake!" She storms out of the house, slamming the door behind her.

Paul moves to go after her, but Jacob stops him with a hand on his shoulder. "You can only make it worse at this point, man. Stop digging that hole before you bury yourself alive."

"But... But I can't leave it this way. It'll kill me. Might as well rip my heart straight outta my chest," Paul complains as they hear the car engine start and then pull away.

"Just give her some time to cool down," Jacob suggests. "She's too angry right now to have anything to do with you."

"I was so close. So close," Paul trails off. Bella and Jacob hear his unspoken words. They, too, heard Rachel yell that she was about to let him kiss her. He has to be beating himself up right now. He had everything within his grasp before he screwed it all up. Now she might walk out of his life forever.

"She'll come around," reassures Jacob. He knows his sister isn't gone for good. But she could easily decide to see other people, could decide just to be friends (or, if today is any indication, just acquaintances) and go back to dating whomever she likes upon her return to Seattle. Jacob knows it as well as Paul does. And Paul really couldn't handle knowing that Rachel might be out with some other guy.

Jacob can sympathize. He remembers acutely the tearing sensation in his chest every time his Bells walked away from him and into the arms of her monster. Upon receipt of her wedding invitation, he almost allowed himself to lose his conscious self in the wolf. He very nearly ran away in his animal form, perhaps never to return. Paul could not even find that to be a relief. His wolf would surely go on a rampage and rip out the throat of any man who came near Rachel.

On the other hand, Paul's wolf cannot speak. And it is Paul's mouth that keeps getting him in trouble. Jacob advises him, "Let her cool off. Then go to her in your wolf form. You're just an overgrown puppy anyway." Paul growls at this, but Jacob just ignores him. "And better yet, you can't speak that way, which means you can't stick your foot back in your mouth." Paul says nothing in reply, but realizes it is a good idea. "Bella used to be more comfortable with me that way," Jacob continues. Bella smiles at Jacob from her position at the table. It's true, whether she wants to admit it or not.

Paul emerges from his daze long enough to look over and ask, "How come?"

She shrugs. "It was easier. I didn't want to acknowledge how I really felt about Jake. But as his wolf, I could be close to him without having to face my own feelings. I could hold him, be affectionate, without any of the sexual tension or attraction to complicate everything." That would no longer work, of course. Now that he has marked her, she feels his pull in any of Jacob's forms: man, wolf, or pure spirit. She knows what it is to be loved by Jacob Black. There is no turning back.

Paul sees the love radiating out of Bella's eyes as she watches his Alpha. He has seen this look from time to time, but never directed at him. Until now, it was a meaningless thing to him. It would have angered him, actually. But now he wants, no, needs, Rachel Black to look at him that way. He knows his life will be incomplete if she never does. He will be a walking shell of a man if she chooses not to love him. He might survive (and at this point, he isn't even sure he will survive), but life will have no meaning. The substance of his very existence had already stormed out the front door. He huffs in frustration.

"Go run it off," Jacob instructs, "and pay attention to when she calms down. When it's time, go to her as your wolf and see what happens." Paul nods and slips out the back door.

Bella looks at Jacob in admiration. "You did a good thing there," she says softly.

"Oh, you gotta feel for the guy," Jacob says, distracted.

Bella walks up to him and places her hands flat on his stomach. "No, Jake. You did well. You're an amazing Alpha, and a wonderful brother."

He smiles down at her, and warmth shines out of his smile. He sadly fingers the rope mark on her wrist. "Thanks, Bells. I'm not sure sometimes, especially lately." She knows he still feels like he let himself get fooled by Edward Cullen, particularly since Bella was bitten. He blames himself for any hurt she suffered. He draws her wrists to his lips one at a time to drop sweet, gentle kisses on them. "If it weren't for Rosalie..." He trails off, unable to complete the sentence.

"It's okay, Jake. I'm right here, remember?" Bella reassures him, and wraps her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his chest. He tips his head down and tucks her under his chin. He wraps his body around her and keeps her close. She listens to the thumping of his heart under her ear and lets his love wash over her. She runs her fingers up and down the broad planes of his back and sighs against his warm copper skin. His frayed nerves knit together under her touch. If only their last challenge was over and done with.

He refuses to succumb to despair. She needs him to be strong, so he will not wallow in his mistakes. He will revisit his missteps, yes, but there is time enough for that later. Instead, he just holds her in his arms and absorbs her warmth. "You feel so good. I don't wanna let you go."

"So don't," she replies quietly. She smiles a little to herself. She knows how to make him feel better. "Y'know, I skipped my shower this morning to see what all the fuss was about down here."

"Oh, yeah?" She can hear the smile in his tone. Jacob loves to bathe her, and she knows it. "Me too."

"Mmm. Guess we're both sort of filthy, then," she grins into his chest.

"Oh, so very dirty." She can feel his interest in his body under hers.

"We'd better get clean," she separates from him and tugs him toward the stairs.

"Maybe we can conserve the hot water, Bells," Jacob eagerly follows.

She unbuttons her shirt as she walks up the stairs. "Mmm. Shower together? Good idea. Very environmentally friendly."

He laughs, "Or at least, just very friendly," as she tosses her shirt over her shoulder. He catches it deftly.

The water has run cold before they're done, driving them out of the bathroom to soak the sheets on her small bed. She doesn't mind one bit.

When they emerge from her bedroom an hour later, Jacob sniffs the air and heaves a heavy sigh.

"What is it?" she asks.

"Cullens," he replies, and opens the front door. Rosalie and Alice exit the BMW and enter.

"You guys are worse than Emmett and I," Rosalie wrinkles her nose at the blended scent of pheromones, wolf, and sex heavy in the air. "Which is impressive, considering that you guys have to stop for food and sleep periodically."

Alice trails in after. She looks awful. Her normally perfectly spiked hair lies limp around her face, which is drawn and seems somehow even paler than usual. Bella has the sudden realization that Alice is, in fact, not strictly alive. She is nervous about facing Alice until Alice's wide eyes meet hers, and they both open their arms at the same time. "I'm so sorry!" they burst out simultaneously as they hug tightly. Rosalie rolls her eyes but manages to keep her mouth shut.

Alice sits on the couch and pulls Bella next to her. "No, I'm sorry. I should have seen it coming. I just... I just..."

"She was too afraid to keep looking," Rosalie clarifies from her position leaning against the front door. "Everything she saw was just too awful, and it kept changing anyway, or was too fuzzy to see."

"It's not your fault," Bella says, and brushes her fingers against Alice's bare arm gently. She almost flinches away from the cold. She simply isn't used to it any longer. "And I'm sorry about Edward." She peeks out of the corner of her eye at Jacob, whose jaw flexes with tension as he folds his arms over each other and tries not to say anything out loud. The only thing he is sorry for is not killing Edward sooner. "I know how close you were."

Alice would cry if she could. "I was so sure you and he were meant to be, Bella. And that made him even more certain, even once I could no longer see you as a vampire." Alice picks up her hand and places her other palm against Bella's bandaged wrist. "But this... this... I'm so sorry." Bella draws her in for another hug, and Jacob has to physically hold himself in place. The urge to jump in and tear the vampire off Bella is strong.

Rosalie sees Jacob's angry expression and interrupts, "But that's not why we're here today, Bella. Alice?"

Alice sits back at Rosalie's prompting and faces Jacob. "I think you mostly know already?"

Jacob nods. "I overheard your phone call last night."

Bella interrupts, "Catch me up?" She understood that Jacob needed not to jump right back into the disaster yesterday, that he needed a break, but they are clearly past that now. "The Volturi are coming sooner, right?"

Alice nods, a bit surprised. "They moved up the date, and they changed the location. I see them approaching a large house on a lake. It must be where he held you captive. And it isn't the wedding Saturday anymore, Bella." Alice looks pointedly at her own lap. "Edward must have asked them to come sooner."

"How soon?" Bella breathes.

Alice closes her eyes. "Monday. Late. It looks like sunset. But I can't see anything more than that."

Bella's heart drops into her stomach. "Two days?" Alice nods. Bella looks to Jacob, whose eyes are open, clear, and staring directly at her. "When were you going to tell me?"

He relaxes his posture, visibly wanting to cross the room and take her into his arms. He looks contrite. But he doesn't move. "Before the council meeting this afternoon. We have a few hours before it starts. I'm sorry, honey, I..."

She cuts him off. "It's okay, I get it." And she does. She isn't angry. "I knew something was going on last night. If I had asked you straight out, would you have told me?"

"Of course, Bells," his eyes are wide. Lying to her simply would have never occurred to him.

She reaches out for his hand, and he crosses to her side in two giant steps and kneels at her feet. "You just wanted to be Jake and Bells for a few hours. I understand."

He lets out a puff of air in a relieved sigh, and buries his head in her lap, wrapping his arms around her middle. This is one of the thousand reasons he knows that Bella is meant for him. This comfort, right here. She sweeps her fingers through his hair and he sighs into her. He barely cares that he has an audience. "Seth barely woke up, and Brady's legs have only just healed, and everyone's exhausted already. I did. I just needed to be Jake and Bells for a little bit." Jacob sighs and turns around to sit on the floor leaning on Bella's legs. "Maybe when this is over, nothing interesting will happen, ever again."

"Good luck with that," Rosalie says dryly from her position by the door.

Jacob straightens a little, but doesn't bother getting off the floor. "How much do you know about what's going to happen?"

Rosalie shrugs. "As much as anybody, I guess."

Jacob nods and stands to his full height. "I'd like you to come to the council meeting, then. It starts at 2pm."

She agrees. "I can do that."

"I'll spend the first part of the meeting telling them that you're coming. Then one of us will come to get you at the treaty line." Rosalie nods. "Anything else you wanted to tell us directly?" Jacob asks Alice.

Alice tilts her head, clearly trying to figure out what to say. "The same three are still coming. Jane, Felix, and Chelsea. You're lucky in one sense; Chelsea can't actually sense the bonds between people. That's Marcus's ability, and he isn't coming. So Chelsea will just be working off what Edward told her. They mean to see Carlisle first, just out of courtesy. He's at work right now, Jacob, but he can speak with you after."

"What do they want from Carlisle?" Jacob asks. "Do they even know Edward is dead?"

Alice and Rosalie exchange glances. Alice answers, "We don't know exactly. Edward was in contact with them, obviously, but we don't know much beyond that. Carlisle would be happy to try to talk them into leaving without a fuss. But I wouldn't expect that to work. Especially now that Edward can't just go join them."

Rosalie is blunt. "They will still want you, Bella, either way. Aro always thought you would make a powerful vampire, and there is no reason to think that has changed. And even if you didn't, the Volturi will never allow a human to walk free knowing of our existence. They will not consider that to be an option."

"And being mated to me is meaningless to them," Jacob clarifies. Alice and Rosalie both nod.

"They were willing to do Carlisle the courtesy of allowing Bella to join our family instead of joining them. With Edward gone, that makes less sense, although they still have the same respect for Carlisle. They may still allow you to be turned but remain a Cullen," Alice answers.

Rosalie is blunt. "The only options they will give you are death, or to be turned."

Alice adds, "Aside from the timing, not much has really changed."

Jacob knows what she really means by this. All three futures she saw are still visible to her, none more likely than another. Jacob hears Bella's heartbeat pick up as she considers Alice's true meaning. Bella wants it said explicitly, though. She just asks straight out, "So that means..."

"You will survive, Bella. I still see no future without you in it, in some way. Either as vampire or human."

Bella's voice is barely a whisper. She had almost forgotten that Jacob's life is at risk too. "But Jacob..."

Alice wants to reassure her, but what she has to say is not reassuring at all. "I can't see Jacob, Bella. You know that." Bella feels dizzy. Alice can't see Jacob because she cannot see the wolves, or she cannot see him because he isn't alive to be seen? She sways a little, still seated in place.

Jacob's arm steadies her. "It's okay, honey. I'll make sure of it. Here, you haven't had anything to eat or drink yet today. Let's get something into you." He feels like an idiot. He couldn't keep his hands off her long enough to make sure her basic needs were met. He quickly moves to the kitchen to pour her a glass of orange juice, and she accepts it gratefully.

He turns back to Alice and Rosalie. "If there isn't anything else?"

Rosalie opens the door, and Alice walks to it and says, "I'll wait at the treaty line if you need me. Esme can handle the house by herself. Rose will be waiting, too, when you need her." And the Cullens are gone.

He sits on the couch beside her and pulls her into his lap. "I'm so sorry, baby," he begins again.

"Shh. You don't have to apologize, Jake. I understand you weren't trying to hide it from me, not the way Edward would have."

He nods and buries his face in her neck. "I wasn't. It just feels like too much sometimes, and I just wanted to pretend everything was normal. Just for a few hours." He pauses. "As normal as it could feel with Seth lying in a hospital bed right behind us, anyway. God. Seth. And Brady. I'm such an ass. I can't believe I haven't gone to see him yet."

Jacob amazes her. He isn't even a little bit worried that his own life is on the line. He is only worried that she will be mad at him, worried for Bella herself, and worried for his pack. He carries everyone's weight on his shoulders, including her own.

"Seth's going to be fine, thanks to you, Jake. And you weren't exactly ignoring Brady. You were sort of busy," she teases gently. She strokes the sides of his face with the tips of her fingers, and he turns his head up to kiss her. His lips are soft and sweet, and when they part, his eyes sparkle, and the expression on his face is pure bliss. For a second, he looks exactly like a sixteen year old boy who just got to kiss the girl he crushed on for years. Which is exactly what he is.

This is what Bella does for him. She centers him. She is the eye in the storm of swirling chaos that his life has become.

He grins at her, gives her one of his signature bear hugs, and pulls her out of the house to go to the diner, where he eats enough for four people.

"If you don't slow down there, Jake, you're gonna eat the plate by mistake," she teases him.

Over a massive plate of hash he says, "This is one of the thousand reasons I love you, Bells. You make me feel normal in the middle of this crazy frickin' life." He reaches over the table and runs his thumb along her bottom lip, and comes away with a little bit of grape jelly, which he swipes away with his tongue. "Plus, you're pretty goddamn cute."

She grins back at him. Only Jacob can do this. Two days from now she could be turned against her will, or worse yet, lose Jacob himself. But he keeps her from panicking. He keeps her here in this moment, just two teenagers on a date and in love. And apparently she does the same for him. Rightfully, they should both be scared out of their wits right now. But he is here, and she is here, and nothing else really matters.

"I love you too, Jake." And she means it, so the smile that lights up his face can't be wiped out by anything.

After the meal, they head to LaPush, and Jacob pays a visit to Brady while Bella goes to find Rachel at the Black home. She finds her seated cross legged on her bed, staring out at the light rain that has just started to fall.

"I was going to go for a walk on the beach, but I guess that's out for now." Rachel's voice is soft.

Bella sits beside her on the bed. "Our days often don't go as planned around here."

"He hasn't been by yet," Rachel says, still staring out the window. "I don't know how I feel about that."

"You wanted him to come after you?" Bella asks, surprised.

"No, no. Not like that. I'm just surprised he has the restraint," she clarifies.

"Maybe he'll surprise you," says Bella. "But Jake told him to give you a little space."

"Glad he knows how to listen to someone," she sighs.

"Can I ask you something?" Bella asks.

"Hmm?"

"What's it like? Being imprinted. On your end."

Rachel sighs. "Pressure. It's pressure. Like, I have all this power over him that I just don't want to have. Like every choice I ever wanted to make just gets wiped out by this one."

"Okay, I get that. What else? What do you think about him?"

"We were doing a good job avoiding touchy subjects until today," Rachel sighs.

"And?"

"And he's pretty funny, and entertaining."

"And you're attracted to him," Bella says astutely. "You said you were going to let him kiss you."

Rachel sighs. "I'm not blind, Bella. He's a good-looking guy. And I admit that the flattery was starting to get to me."

"Flattery is a pretty big understatement," Bella says with a smile.

Rachel rolls her eyes. "Okay, obsessive devotion, then. Whatever you want to call it. I let it get to me," she pauses.

"Attention like that is hard to ignore. I'm glad your brother didn't give up on me," Bella replies.

Rachel frowns. "But that's different, isn't it? Jacob's loved you forever. And you might not have fallen for him until just now, but you always liked him. You were already friends. Jacob knows you, and you know him. Paul is... Paul is just some guy!"

"But he isn't. He isn't just some guy."

Rachel crumples. "I know. He's a wolf. He's a protector. I get that."

"And he's yours."

"Right. Mine. What am I supposed to do with him? I can't just leave him here and forget him. I know that."

"So try to forget, just for a second, all the other crap. Forget the mystical attachment. Forget what he was doing when you saw him on the beach that first time."

"You mean, forget he was hitting up that skanky girl?"

"Pretend you don't know anything about him except from the time you've actually spent with him."

"Okay, okay."

"Tell me about that guy. The one you've been having breakfast with. What's he like?"

"Jealous and possessive and territorial," Rachel immediately responds.

Bella almost laughs. "Okay, what else? Is that all? Remember, pretend you don't know anything else. What's he like?"

"Fine. Charming and funny and sexy as hell." Rachel scowls. "Happy now?"

"And what freaks you out about all the 'baby' stuff, and the other girls? Are you worried he's interested in them? Or that he's going to treat you the way he treats them?"

"Of course not! Even if I didn't know about the imprint, I can see how he looks at me. I'm the only girl in the room as far as he's concerned. It's a bit much, if anything. I just... This would be easier if I respected him more. Or if I felt like either one of us had some choice in the matter."

"You do have a choice," Bella says quietly.

"Right," Rachel scoffs. "A choice to live my life like I was planning and break his heart irreparably, knowing that he will actually never fall in love with another woman for as long as he lives, or give up everything I ever wanted to do in order to stay here with a guy I hardly know and definitely don't respect." She rubs her face with her hands. "Just be glad that Jake didn't imprint on you, Bella."

"Yeah. I guess I am." She is amazed to find that it's true. "What are you gonna do?"

"Stick with the original plan, I guess. Go back to Seattle but come back and see him and let him come see me. I think we can manage every weekend or so. See if he can stand that. I don't want to hurt him, Bella, I really don't. But we're not exactly ready to get married and have babies, you know? Or at least, I'm not."

"What about Trevor?" Bella asks.

Rachel flops back onto her bed. "Crap. Right. Who knows."

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"Not in so many words."

"Is it exclusive?"

Rachel shrugs. "We never had 'the talk' or anything. It's not like we're still in high school and going steady, you know? But I've never been one to see more then one person at a time, and I'm pretty sure he isn't either. We had only just started seeing each other a few weeks before graduation. If we weren't moving to the same place, I'm sure that would have been the end of it, but we are."

"But right now, you're here and he's there, so got any idea if he's seeing anyone else right now?"

"He isn't. I'm pretty sure of that. I think he's waiting for me."

"Paul know that?"

"I have been avoiding that topic like the plague, so probably not."

"How do you see that working when you move?"

"It's not going to work. I know that. I'm going to be spending all my weekends with Paul. And Paul will just rip Trevor to shreds if he thinks anything is going on." Rachel sounds resigned, and looks very, very tired.

"I'm sorry," Bella says.

"Trevor's a nice guy. He doesn't need my drama, so I guess we're breaking up before we even get started. Which I guess will work for Paul, whether or not it works for me."

"Oh, Rachel," Bella doesn't know what to say.

"I shouldn't be so upset about it. It's not like I have to get a divorce or anything. But I really like him, Bella. And I wasn't ready for it to be over yet."

Bella flops down next to Rachel and takes her hand. She has no words of comfort, so she just stares at the ceiling along with Rachel. Eventually, Rachel says, "Thanks, Bella. It's nice talking to someone who gets it. Emily and Kim sort of get it, but they are so set in their relationships, it's just not the same." She pauses. "At least I'm not Emily. I guess I should feel lucky that Paul isn't Rebecca's husband already."

"Imprinting is really screwed up, isn't it?"

Rachel just laughs darkly. "Is he out there somewhere right now, waiting for me?"

"Probably," Bella replies.

"Mm." The girls lie on her little twin bed, side by side, until Jacob comes home to get Bella for the council meeting.

He sticks his head in the door. "Hey, am I interrupting anything?"

"No, come on in," Rachel replies. "Gonna steal her back for a bit?"

Jacob nods. "Yeah, if that's okay. We've got the next round to discuss."

Rachel frowns. "The next round? How many rounds are there?"

"We're kind of hoping this will be the last one, but that's what we have to talk about."

Rachel glares at Bella. "Why have you been letting me wallow like this when there's something bigger going on?"

"Your thing is big!" Bella replies, "And it let me not think about my thing for a few minutes. Which I sort of needed." She feels much like Jacob did earlier, that she would rather not think about the Volturi.

"Sorry, honey," says Jacob. "Time to think about it again, and this time with everybody. We should get going soon."

Rachel looks at Jacob. "Are you going to need Paul there?"

"No, why?"

"I guess it's time I talked to him."

"He's in the woods behind the house. Just call out the back door."

Jacob pulls the Rabbit close to the house and opens the door for Bella. When she looks out the back window, she sees Paul's huge dark silver wolf approaching the house with a bent head. The last thing she sees before they round the corner is Paul pressing his muzzle into Rachel's stomach.

"You think they're going to be okay?" Jacob asks. He is worried for his sister and brother both.

"Yeah," Bella answers. "She just needs some time. It's a bit much for her right now. But she's not going to see that other guy in Seattle anymore."

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing," Jacob replies.

"She's disappointed, I can tell you that much. She liked him. But she's not going to destroy Paul over him."

"He'll be more bearable this way, anyway. But I hate that she has to give up any part of her normal life for the imprint." He sighs. There is no easy answer here. "Brady's doing okay, by the way."

"Still in pain?"

Jacob shakes his head. "Not much. I don't want him to phase for a couple more days, but other than that he'll be fine."

Bella gently steers the conversation toward muddier waters. "Were you counting on him?"

"No," Jacob shakes his head. "I've got some ideas, but I'm hoping to avoid putting thirteen year olds on the line if at all possible. I've learned my lesson."

When they arrive in the council hall, Bella is surprised to see not only Sam, Billy, Sue, Old Quil, and the other elders, but her father as well. There is a seat open next to him, and she joins him. She can see a couple elders that she doesn't know glaring at him. If they don't like Charlie's presence, she thinks to herself, they sure aren't going to appreciate it when Jacob brings Rosalie in.

Jacob squeezes her hand in support, then goes to sit by his father at the head of the room. Billy begins. "I called this meeting because of the continuing threat being leveled against us. But first, I will tell you of the first Spirit Chief born of our tribe since Taha Aki." A hush falls over the room. Several of them have heard bits and pieces of the story, but no one has a complete and comprehensive understanding of the past days' events. Billy's voice rings out as he begins the tale of Jacob Ephraim. His eyes glow with pride while Jacob, more than a little embarrassed, slides down in his seat and curls up a bit in a futile attempt to make himself smaller. Sue and Charlie look on, amused. This boy, barely past childhood, has faced heartbreak, despair, and mortal danger, and emerged on the other side not only a man, but a powerful one at that. But listening to his father brag his accomplishments turns him back into a flustered teenager.

The elders listen on in fascination which peaks when Billy reaches the portion of the tale in which Rosalie comes to the aid of the wolves. Shocked murmurs rise from the assembly.

A woman in the back of the room interrupts to yell, "And this monster has now been allowed on our lands? It is a trick! We have gone soft, let our guard down, and given them the perfect opportunity to strike."

Jacob rises to his full height and glares at the woman. "This so-called monster saved the life of my mate and came to the aid of Seth Clearwater when he was injured. She helped me rid my own body of the venom I ingested trying to drain it from Bella's body. If she wanted to harm us, all she had to do was stand back and wait. Bella would be turned, I might be dead, and Seth could be paralyzed. She has earned my respect and my trust."

Bella puts up her hand, foolishly feeling like a child in a classroom. Billy nods at her. "Rosalie has been consistent for as long as I've known her. She never wanted to be turned, and she has only ever warned me away from her family and her brother. She helped stop me from making the mistake of being turned. She helped me see what I was giving up because she lost all those things when she was transformed." She only realizes after she has spoken that she still has never talked with her father about her decisions, nor discussed how close she came to abandoning him forever. His stiff posture and carefully neutral expression tell her just how troubled he is by her statement.

Jacob sits down and signals to Sam, who steps outside. Jacob continues. "And her sister has warned us that the Volturi are coming in two days." Shoulders slump at the announcement of the timeline. "They are only bringing three members of the guard. Edward had asked for one in particular, a female whose power consists of the ability to break or strengthen bonds between individuals. He had hoped that she could sever Bella's bond with me and bind her to him instead. The second guard member is particularly dangerous and has the ability to inflict crippling pain without a single touch. The third is a fighter, a bodyguard. Brute force."

Sam returns with Rosalie just as Old Quil asks, "Only three?" Several of the elders stiffen in alarm at Rosalie's appearance, while she just looks bored and sits beside Jacob.

"I believe it means they do not intend to attack the tribe or the wolves. We outnumber them by far, even considering their powers. I think their only goal is to retrieve Bella. It is unclear whether they even know Edward is dead. They wanted him for their guard, and they want Bella as well. Either that, or they are counting on their ability to split the bonds between the pack members, and believe they could defeat us in that manner."

"Is that possible?" asks Sue.

"There is no way to know," says Rosalie, "but I would expect them to bring a larger group if they expect a battle. Probably they simply want Bella, and to gather information."

"So do you plan to fight? If you think you can defeat them?" asks Old Quil.

Rosalie answers him directly. "The pack probably would defeat all three based on numbers alone, even without Seth and Brady. But casualties would be likely. But that would bring destruction down upon your heads. You survive because the Volturi do not recognize you as a threat. If you bring down three of their most valuable guard members, they will retaliate. Then you will be at war with the most powerful coven of vampires in the world."

The woman in the back stands up, points at Bella, and shouts, "I will not have our tribe destroyed over this foolish girl! Let them have her!"

Jacob jumps to his feet and looks like he might rush the woman, but his father's hand on his wrist keeps him in place. "That is not an option!" he roars.

Old Quil rises slowly to his feet and calmly states, "We have discussed this already. The spirits granted this girl access to the spirit plane, and she is the Alpha's chosen mate. His mark appeared on her body; we know this. Her protection has already resulted in the first Spirit Chief our tribe has known since Taka Aki. No one has traveled as a spirit warrior in hundreds of years, and this boy, this man," he gestures at Jacob, "did so to seek her out. The spirits have given us sign after sign. We should not ignore them. Jacob, do we have any other options, other than to fight?"

Jacob clenches his fists and forces himself to sit. Charlie clears his throat, and Bella looks at him in surprise. "I'd like to make a suggestion." Bella notices a glance pass between Jacob and her father. When did they talk about this? It must have been while she slept in the car on the ride back from Lake Cle Elum.

Charlie begins, and he and Jacob outline their plan.


	41. Chapter 41

Rating: MA for lemons

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Saturday  
X-x-x-x-X

Bella sits by Jacob's side and watches his deep, slow breathing. She wants to touch him, to feel the warmth of his skin and the beat of his heart. But she doesn't know if it is safe. Will she distract his focus? Will she pull him back from wherever his spirit has gone? She sits on her hands to keep them in place. She does not want to disturb him. He is on a mission, and she must not interrupt him. So she sits by his bed and forces herself to wait.

It is agonizing.

Seconds turn into minutes turn into hours. Long enough for Bella to become very worried. What if he doesn't come back? What will happen to his body if his spirit does not return? Could the Volturi capture it somehow? Would his spirit become trapped outside his body?

From time to time, Billy, Charlie, or Rachel peek into Jacob's bedroom. Emily drops off a three course meal that Bella doesn't even notice. Her plate sits balanced on her lap, untouched for twenty minutes, before Rachel slides it to the floor.

Eventually, a movement in the treeline draws Bella's attention out the window. The eagle has landed on a tall pine behind the little red house. It brings with it relief. A sense of calm washes over Bella. The eagle will not allow Jacob's spirit to lose his way. Bella finally relaxes enough to realize that she has been holding the same stiff position for so long that her legs have gone numb.

She sees the eagle take off and soar up into the atmosphere, circling the house from high above. The temperature in the room rises a couple degrees, and Bella breathes a sigh of relief. Her Jacob is coming back. She can feel him, and she reaches out to take his still hand moments before she feels the light touch of his spectral lips against her cheek and sees the oddest sight. Jacob slips back into his body.

His breathing hitches and his eyes flutter open. He turns his head and squeezes her hand as he smiles at her.

"Hi honey, I'm home."

Her burst of sudden, relieved laughter draws everyone into the room.

"Is he back?" Billy asks.

Jacob sits up and swings his legs over the edge of his small bed, and Bella moves aside so Rachel can hug her brother.

"Hey guys. It's fine. I'm fine," he reassures them when he sees their obviously worried expressions. "What time is it?"

"Nine thirty pm," Charlie replies.

"You've been gone for so long," Bella explains. "We were starting to worry."

Jacob spies Bella's untouched dinner plate on the floor. "Ooh, I'm starved." He reaches for it, saying, "Sorry it took so long. Didn't mean to scare everyone. It took me a while to figure out how to get there, and once I did, it took me even longer to figure out who they all were and what was going on. Never thought I'd have wished I spoke Italian, but today I sure did. Plus I just had to wait around for them to start talking about us. When I got there, they weren't even together and were, uh, off topic." Jacob has an odd look on his face, and Bella resolves to ask him about it later. "When Dr. Cullen called, though, they got together and switched to English, even after they got off the phone, and that really helped."

"So what did you find out?" Charlie asks.

"They don't know Edward is dead, for one. So that's good. Although they were wondering why he hasn't been in touch. And they don't seem to know much of anything about us either. Sounds like Edward played his cards pretty close to his chest and didn't give them much to go on. They do think I cast some sort of spell on Bella, but they didn't say anything about us being wolves or spirit warriors. The word shaman came up more than once. They kept talking about magic spells. So we will have the element of surprise if we need it."

"Let's try not to need it," Charlie answers.

"I do think they'll get suspicious when they don't hear from Edward, though."

"Carlisle may be able to help with that," says Bella. "They can mimic each others' voices pretty well."

"Oh, good," Jacob answers. "We still have his cell phone too, so the caller ID will look the same. The doctor arranged his time to meet them in Forks while I was listening, just like we talked about. We'll have to have him call as Edward and finalize the time they go to the Lake House."

"Alice said she saw them at sunset, right?" Bella asks.

"Yeah. Should work fine for us. Gives us some time."

"Sounds like it's starting to come together," Billy adds.

"Yeah. But this wasn't the hard part." Jacob looks out the window. "I gotta get the guys together."

"Paul's outside," Rachel adds. "Want me to get him to assemble everyone?"

"Yeah, thanks," Jacob answers. "It'll give me a chance to scarf down a bit more food while he gets them together. Can you tell him to have them meet at Sam's in half an hour?"

Rachel goes outside, and Charlie follows Billy into the living room. Bella takes the opportunity to wrap her arms around Jacob's neck, and he tugs her onto his lap. "I wish I could come with you, Jake. I don't want to be apart."

"Me neither, honey. I wish I could bring you too. Do you want to sleep here in my room tonight? Your dad probably doesn't feel comfortable having you sleep at your house by yourself anyway."

"Neither do I, for that matter. I'd much rather sleep in your bed. Tonight, every night, really. It's the next best thing if I can't sleep with you."

"Mmm," he smiles and strokes her cheek with his fingertips. "And I hope this doesn't take all night. I'll be in a real hurry to get back if I know you'll be waiting for me in my bed."

She presses her cheek more firmly into his hand. "But after the way we woke up this morning, I don't think we're fooling anyone. I don't exactly see my dad letting you cuddle up with me in your bed."

"Yeah, well, around you I just don't have the ability to keep my hands to myself." He runs his fingers through her thick hair and cups the back of her skull in his large hand, and kisses her deeply to illustrate his point. She tastes wonderful, and he forgets what he is supposed to be doing until he hears a howl from the woods.

She leans back far enough that she can slip her fingers over his stomach, and says, "I thought you were going to eat something else before you left?"

"Yeah," he nips at her lips. "You." She giggles and lets him kiss her again, one hand still buried in her hair, the other opened over the small of her back and pulling her close, until Charlie walks past the door on his way to the bathroom. Bella hops off Jacob's lap and pulls him into the kitchen.

"Come on. I know you can't resist Emily's cooking."

"She isn't as good a cook as you are, Bells."

Bella is fairly certain that this isn't strictly true, but accepts the compliment anyway. Ten minutes later, she waves him out the door, Charlie following closely behind.

Rachel reaches out for her hand. "They'll be fine, Bella. Even if this doesn't work, they have a solid plan B. They've got numbers on their side."

"Oh, I know. It's just that a part of me can't quite believe that we've gotten this far without any real casualties. This whole time I feel like the other shoe's going to drop. We've had so many near-misses. How much longer can our luck hold?"

Rachel pulls back to look at Bella. "Luck? You think you're having good luck? Seriously?"

Bella stares back at her for a split second, and then looks chagrined. "Oh, Rachel. You're right. My whole perspective is completely screwed up."

They are interrupted by the buzzing of Rachel's cell phone. She looks at the screen in surprise and tilts it toward Bella. "Trevor M," reads the ID. "Hello?" she answers, and almost steps out the back door to take the call until she realizes it's raining. Instead she goes to her room and closes the door.

"The other fellow?" Billy asks astutely. Bella nods. "Mm. I don't envy her, or Paul for that matter, right now. Has she said much about him?"

"Just that she really likes him," answers Bella.

"Although not enough to take him home to meet the family."

"It's pretty new, still."

"Either way, he probably won't like Paul very much."

"But not as much as Paul already hates him."

"I wish my children had boring lives." Billy sighs, but then he catches Bella's anxious look. He visibly squares his shoulders and says quietly from the doorway, "But Jacob was born for this, dear." His voice is steady and low. He knows just how to pitch his tenor to reassure her. If he says it convincingly enough, perhaps he can reassure himself as well. His only son is marching straight into mortal danger. Again. If he thinks about it too much, he will collapse in terror. So instead, he separates himself from the current events. These things aren't happening to him and to his child. They are happening to creatures of myth and legend. He is watching the history of his tribe unfold. Nothing more, nothing less. "This is his destiny. To lead his pack and his tribe. He has the strength of our ancestors behind him. I'll tell your children this story someday, just you wait."

To distract herself, and to be supportive, she sits next to Rachel after she hears her say goodbye to Trevor. She squeezes Rachel's knee but says nothing.

"That didn't quite go as planned," Rachel sighs. "I really meant to just break it off now before things get any more complicated. But he just started joking and making me laugh, and then he said how much he misses me. I didn't have the heart to dump him over the phone when he's been so nice, and it's not like I can honestly say I've met this other guy I really want to be with. He's already made plans for our first date in Seattle. And he's even decided to come on the road trip!"

"How did that happen?"

"His cousin Abrianna is the girl who organized the trip, and she's a good friend of mine. It's how I met him in the first place. She asked him to come along. Probably thought she was doing me a favor."

"So now, not only did you not break it off, but you're gonna be stuck with him in a car for two weeks?"

"And motel rooms. Don't forget the motel rooms."

"But you like this guy, right? A lot, it sounds like."

"Yeah. Yeah, I do."

"So it's not like it's a bad thing. Normally this would be, like, perfect."

"Normally, it would be awesome. Not so much right now. I'm really not interested in hurting Paul. But I'm not interested in hurting Trevor either. And he sounded really excited about coming on the trip."

"What are you going to do?" asks Bella.

"Not a clue," replies Rachel. "But they're coming to get me in three days, so I should probably figure it out."

"Would chocolate help with that?"

"God, yes." So Bella makes her spicy chocolate for Rachel, and they try to think about other things until they both start to yawn. Rachel excuses herself to bed.

Bella slips into one of Jacob's old tee shirts instead of her own pajamas, and she slides into his bed. His scent is there, wrapping around her. She lies awake for almost as long as Billy does. But she does drift to sleep before Jacob and Charlie return. Jacob hears his father stirring and knocks quietly on his door.

"How'd it go?" Billy asks.

"So far, so good," Jacob replies. "We've done what we can. Now we just have to wait for them to show."

"Good. I'm proud of you, son. Your mother would be too. Go get some rest, okay?"

"You too, dad. Night."

Jacob retrieves a blanket and pillow for Charlie so he can sleep on the couch. Charlie had claimed it was too late and he was too tired to drive all the way home. Charlie bids him rest, saying, "Just keep the door open, son." Normally Charlie would not even consider allowing his hormonal teenage daughter to sleep in the same bed as her equally hormonal boyfriend, but tonight really is different. They all need comfort tonight. He didn't say it, nor did Jacob imply that he knew it, but the real reason he himself is sleeping at the Black home is his own need to be with his family. He won't deprive Jacob of that either. And the people in this house are as much his family as any of his biological relations. His daughter, of course, his oldest friend, and the son he never had. Even Rachel, whom he saw more than his own child while she was growing up. For now, they are all safe, at least for tonight. Charlie sleeps soundly.

So Jacob showers quickly, and before he is even dry, slides into his bed to spoon against Bella. He notices her curled up in one of his old black tee shirts and smiles at the sight. Her long, slim legs are crossed at the ankles and tucked together. On another night, under other circumstances, he would gladly roll her onto her back, part her lovely thighs, and lap at her with his tongue until she woke up moaning. Not an option tonight, sadly. He fingers the hem of the shirt she wears as he leans against her. He should start wearing dress shirts just so she can steal them. He imagines her smiling lazily at him from the doorway of their future kitchen, leaning against the doorjamb wearing only an unbuttoned crisp white dress shirt rolled up at the sleeves. Mmm. He wants that future so badly he can almost taste it. He draws her into his arms and pulls her tightly against him. She doesn't entirely wake, but relaxes perceptibly in his embrace. Her body is cool and soft under his hands. She was chilly without him to keep her warm. She snuggles back against him and mumbles something unintelligible. He wonders if she dreams of him, and his suspicions are confirmed when his name drops from her lips with a soft sigh.

He falls asleep, content to have her so close, just before the sun begins to rise.

X-x-x-x-X  
Sunday  
X-x-x-x-X

Bella wakes before Jacob does, but she feels no motivation to leave the safety and comfort of his embrace. Warm puffs of his breath stir the hair at the nape of her neck and send shivers down her spine. She hears a light clattering from the kitchen, as well as low voices. Everyone else is awake and starting the day.

But no one will disturb them. Jacob is exhausted after the events of the past several days, and no one is going to deny him the little rest he manages to get. Bella turns so she can look at him. A light beard growth peppers his strong jawline, now relaxed in sleep. It makes him look older than his sixteen years. But his skin is smooth and unlined. His lips are full and soft and barely parted. His lashes are thick and long and rest on his cheeks. Jacob is beautiful. And he is hers.

She runs her fingertips across the planes of his cheekbones. She lightly brushes her fingers through his thick, silky hair. She traces the shell of his ear, then down the angle of his jaw and along his neck. She trails her hands down his prominent pectorals and abdominal muscles. His flesh is so warm beneath her touch. She wants something she has never wanted before. She wants to watch, slowly and gradually, as the skin under her fingers becomes weathered. She wants to see laugh lines appear at the corners of his eyes. She wants to watch his hair grow white. She wants the muscles under her hands to soften with age. Jacob has had to grow up very quickly. He has had to mature into a man and a leader, suddenly and in the midst of danger and chaos. She wants him to get the chance to grow as old as he already has grown wise, and she wants to age along with him.

As she rests her hand on his waist, his eyes open to look right into hers. The corner of his mouth turns up. His voice is rough with sleep. "What're you thinking right now?" he asks perceptively.

"I'm imagining you with love handles," she smiles at him.

His eyes widen in surprise, and then they twinkle with mirth. "What, am I too hot to handle this way?"

"Well, if I get all fat and pregnant someday, you're gonna have to give up some of this physical perfection so I don't feel like a complete whale standing next to you."

His heart melts a little at her declaration, and he wraps his arms around her and hugs her close. "Aw, honey. You'll look perfect pregnant. As long as it's my baby in there, it'll only make you prettier."

"Do you have something you need to tell me?" a stern voice calls out from the hallway.

Bella chokes and sputters while Jacob just laughs. "No, Charlie. Just daydreaming about the future."

"The very distant future, I hope," comes the dry response. But he can't be angry at them, not today. Charlie knows as well as anyone that Jacob is going to leave soon, and he might not come back. They have tried their very best to prevent such a tragedy, but Jacob's first priority is the safety of Charlie's daughter and of his tribe. Not his own safety. So Jacob can daydream about his future in as elaborate terms as he wishes. At this point, Charlie would trade their current situation for a teen pregnancy in a heartbeat.

Charlie moves away from the doorway, and Bella removes her face from her position burrowing into Jacob's chest. "Oh my god. We need to stop sleeping together around my dad."

Jacob laughs at her. "He knows nothing's going on this morning, Bells. He sent me in here himself last night. Just wanted us to keep the door open."

"But that's just this morning. Yesterday could have been a disaster, the way we woke up on the floor. That time against the house we were just asking for it. And our first time here in your room we're lucky neither your dad or Rachel woke up."

"Guess you'll just have to find a way to keep your hands to yourself, then," he teases.

"You don't actually want me to do that, do you?" She teases him right back. So he kisses her deeply until Rachel strays past their open door with an exasperated,

"Seriously, guys?"

Bella parts from Jacob with a little snort of laughter, and he reluctantly lets her go so she can get out of bed. But he stays right on her heels. Every time she turns around, he is right there. She actually has to stop him from following her into the bathroom. He apologizes halfheartedly. "Sorry, honey. The wolf is sort of overprotective today." Which is true. The closer they come to another threat against Bella, the more his wolf desires to latch onto her side to protect her. So for the rest of the day, he basically stays within three feet of her at all times.

She really doesn't mind. Even Charlie doesn't mind. They both know that Jacob is the only thing standing between her and the Volturi. Even the Cullens couldn't save her now. The best they could offer her is eternal life with them rather than as a slave to the Volturi. She wonders idly if that is why Edward lured her to Italy in the first place. Was his attempted suicide a plan to trap her with him forever? She wouldn't be surprised. But now she will never know. She can neither ask him why he really left her in the first place, nor why he took her back. She supposes she is probably better off not knowing.

Jacob has already finished two full plates of food by the time Bella emerges in the kitchen. He pulls out the chair next to him for her to sit down. He slides his own chair flush against hers and wraps his arm around her. He would probably feed her with his fingers if she would let him. Instead, he just stays as close as he can until the phone rings. The conversation is brief and clipped, and after he hangs up the phone Jacob announces, "Rosalie is heading over there right now. She got the equipment she needs and should have it set up by nightfall. Plenty of time to test it out."

"Are you going to go tonight or tomorrow morning?" Bella asks.

"Probably real late tonight," answers Jacob. "I don't want to rush any of this, so it'll give us the most time to prepare."

His answer makes perfect sense, but Bella has the sudden, terrifying realization that she might have just spent her last night sleeping with Jacob. She wishes she had woken up when he came to bed, shut the door, and made love to him until they both collapsed. Jacob sees the despair on her face and tugs her in for a hug. "Don't worry, honey, I'll be back before you know it."

After brunch, Jacob pulls Bella outside while Charlie finalizes plans with Rosalie over the phone. He opens the garage and pulls out his motorcycle. "Got time for a little ride, Bells? There are some people we should see." At her broad smile, he slips her helmet over her head and straddles the machine. She happily climbs on behind him and wraps her arms around his middle.

Just before he revs the engine, she asks, "Hey, Jake? What were the Volturi doing when you found them? You had the funniest look on your face when you mentioned it."

"Oh, damn," he laughs uncomfortably. "You know all those questions Leah and Quil had about vampire sex?"

"You're kidding!" she exclaims.

"No, unfortunately. I sort of know some of the answers." He moves to turn on the motorcycle but she stops him.

"Hey, you can't leave it there!"

He laughs, "Why not?"

"Nuh uh, mister. I want to know!"

"Ugh. Trust me, you don't. It seems pretty aggressive, and not in a good way, Bells. And you know I'm saying that as a guy who likes giving it rough to a girl who I _know_ loves taking it just as rough." Bella hums a little in the back of her throat and tightens her grip around his waist, and he nearly decides to skip their ride altogether and take her back to the garage. But instead he continues, "And yeah, they can definitely have sex with each other, and they seem to enjoy it fine, but any poor human who gets mixed up in that? Let's just say you should be glad you didn't end up with Edward."

"That bad, huh?" she asks.

He frowns. "Honey, you really don't want to know. But these vamps aren't vegetarians, remember?" She shudders in disgust, and decides she doesn't need to know any more.

They stop by the homes of each of his pack mates. Jacob wants to thank each family, and to reassure them that their tribe's and their children's safety is Jacob's priority.

They start at the Clearwater house and are thrilled to find Seth out of his hospital bed. He hasn't yet regained the control required to walk on his own, but can stand for a minute without assistance. But rather than be pleased at his own progress, Seth just apologizes for not being able to back up Jacob the following day. Bella can't help but break away from Jacob's side to throw her arms around Seth's neck and chide him for being foolish, nearly knocking him over. Leah chooses that moment to come down the stairs and cock her brow at Bella. "Black not man enough for you, Swan? Gotta get into my little brother's pants too?" she teases. Seth blushes as hard as Bella, and Jacob clutches his stomach as he laughs with Leah. "You're really into younger men, huh? Last boyfriend spoiled you for old men, so now you've overcorrected and landed in the underage, pubertal group."

Sue tries to ply them with baked goods. Bella politely refuses, having just finished a meal, but Jacob happily accepts. He thanks Sue for all her help on the tribal council, and for so bravely allowing her children on the front lines of battle. With tears in her eyes, she thanks him for saving both their lives.

At the next home, Quil's, they are greeted by an enthusiastic Old Quil. Jacob asks the elder if he can think of ways to help Jacob teach his packmates how to spirit walk. Young Quil has already attempted this, apparently, but succeeded only in falling asleep. Bella gets the chance to thank both Quils for their unwavering support. It dawns on her that not only is Jacob paying his respects to the families of his pack, but giving her the chance to thank them herself. She jumps at the opportunity. Their children, mere adolescents, are putting themselves on the line for her. Again, and without question or second thought. Her gratitude seems like nothing in comparison to the sacrifice they are making, but they appreciate her thanks nonetheless. After all, they receive no other reward for their trouble.

They proceed to Brady's home. Bella recognizes the woman who answers the door as the one who protested against her at the council meeting, and suddenly the puzzle pieces slip into place. This woman was angry with her because of what happened to her son. But there is no anger on her face now. Only fatigue. Jacob takes both her hands in his and apologizes for allowing Brady to be injured. He takes full responsibility as Alpha. He reassures her that Brady will not come to the lake house the next day, and that Jacob will do everything in his power to keep the pups out of danger. Brady's mother looks up at Jacob and points out that Jacob himself is only a little older than her son. Jacob answers that he hopes tomorrow's encounter is their last for a long time, and that if he never sees a vampire again, it will be too soon. They part on good terms after Bella has a chance to thank Brady directly as he blushes wildly and reassures her that he barely noticed his broken legs at all.

It is easier to see Jared and Kim. There are no secrets here, so Jacob is able to pull Kim in for a hug and thank her for her support of the pack and of Bella. Bella does the same. Jacob offers to tell Jared's parents about the pack, but Jared declines. He does not want to worry his parents.

They go to Sam's house next. This time, Bella takes the lead in thanking Sam and Emily for defending her and for caring for the pack so well. Jacob happily accepts freshly baked muffins from Emily, and Bella teases him that he is just making the rounds for the free food. But when they hop back on his motorcycle, she thanks him for giving her a chance to express her gratitude to the pack and their families while she is still able. He smiles at her and says that she can thank them all again tomorrow when it's all done.

Paul, like Jared, asks Jacob not to talk with his father, and Paul is busy with Rachel at any rate. Jacob and Bella pass by an unfamiliar brown ranch and Jacob slows down but doesn't stop. But Bella recognizes Billy's black pickup in the driveway. Jacob explains, "I wanted to tell Collin's parents what's going on. But my dad figured he'd better do it instead." And Bella remembers that Billy's sister is Collin's mother, and is glad that confrontation doesn't involve her.

Embry's home is another story. Embry had debated for a long time whether to tell his mother what was going on once he was given the option. Until now he had prioritized keeping the pack's secret, as well not wanting to worry her. But with the newest threat brewing, he and Jacob decided to tell her together.  
It doesn't go very well, but in the end, Tiffany Call is deeply proud of her son. After giving Embry a tight hug that he returns fully, Bella takes Jacob's hand, and they depart to give mother and son time to talk.

It is late by the time they have finished their rounds. Instead of aiming for the little red house, Jacob steers them toward First Beach. Bella had been hoping for time alone with Jacob, but it apparently isn't to be. At least she was able to hold him tightly from the back of his bike, relishing the movement of muscles under his skin.

A bonfire is already blazing on the beach. Every pack member and imprint is already there except Embry, as well as a few family members, Charlie and Billy included. Bella notices a shellshocked looking couple seated by Collin, and correctly assumes them to be his parents. Everyone is anxious, but they all appreciate the chance to be together, and they laugh and joke and harass each other to relieve the tension. The mood is charged, the energy level high.

Jacob and Bella pile their plates high with food. He finishes all of his and half of hers before going back for more. Quil takes the opportunity to challenge Jacob to a hot dog eating contest, and finally finds something at which he can best his Alpha. Jacob gives up when he can't stop laughing long enough to properly participate, and Quil does a victory dance in circles around his old friend. Billy looks on with laughter at the boys, Charlie chuckling at his side. Bella overhears their fathers wistfully wishing their kids could just be kids for a while longer. Bella silently agrees, and can't take her eyes off Jacob.

Rachel takes the opportunity sit by Bella. Jared has Paul occupied in conversation, so Bella asks her what is going on.

"I told him about the road trip, and about Trevor coming along."

"How'd he handle it?"

"I thought he was going to phase. But he didn't. He managed to keep himself under control."

"That's good." Bella is a little surprised.

"Sometimes when we're alone together, just the two of us, I look at him and I think that maybe if he grew up a little, I could really envision us together."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"So what are you going to do?"

"He told me he wants me to enjoy my life. That he doesn't want to hold me back."

"Wow."

"And I think he really meant it. It was hard for him to say, that was obvious. And if he really means that, it only makes it harder to walk away from him."

"So, what then?"

"I'm going on the trip, and I'm going to Seattle. And we're going to visit, just like we said we would. And I asked him to try to see other women."

"You're kidding!" exclaims Bella.

Rachel shakes her head. "I'm not. But I don't feel like either one of us really knows how this works. All we know is secondhand, thirdhand, legends passed down that probably shifted a lot over time. I want him to get to know a woman. For real. Not just sleep around. I'll be happy if he just manages to be friends with a girl. And you and Kim and Emily don't count, by the way."

"Do you really think that will happen?"

"He might not be able to romantically see someone other than me. I know that. But he sure ought to be able to platonically get to know someone else. And he and I both deserve to really know if he has options other than me."

And Bella understands. Paul is on his way to becoming someone that Rachel could actually fall for. But he isn't there yet. Rachel needs him to grow up a bit before she can really take him seriously that way. "And Trevor?"

"I'll be as truthful as I can. Tell him that I met somebody who's a part of my life now, someone who's interested in me, but I haven't figured out how interested I am in him. Tell him I don't want to string either of them along, but that Paul's a friend who's not going anywhere."

"What do you think he'll do?"

Rachel shrugs. "I have no idea. But I can't think of anything else to do, other than just dumping him, and that seems hardly fair to either of us. Part of me wants him to fight for me, not let me go. But the other part of me wants him to walk away from my drama and not look back. Make it easy on everyone."

"Do you feel like that's, maybe, a bit much to ask of him when you can't really tell him what's going on?"

"Yeah. It's pretty unfair," she acknowledges.

"Cause this whole thing is unfair," Bella answers.

"Yeah, it is."

Rachel moves away to walk down the beach to stare at the ocean, and Paul watches her go, clearly wanting to follow. They all know he heard every word exchanged between Rachel and Bella. Jacob returns, looking after her. "Imprinting sucks," he mutters. Then he catches Kim frowning at him, and he rushes over to try to remove his foot from his mouth. Bella watches him try to extricate himself, as he only makes it worse. But she sees the mischievous twinkle in Kim's eye, even if Jacob does not, and knows that Kim is just screwing with Jacob. Bella still can't stop staring at him. Even in his most immature and awkward moments, she finds him captivating. The simple act of walking is graceful and powerful, and his skin looks golden in the firelight. Even his embarrassed stuttering is pitched at a low, husky tone that makes her insides melt. She watches his big hands flutter about, and wants them on her.

Leah plops down next to her and watches her stare at Jacob. "You've got it bad, Swan."

"Yeah," she laughs and blushes. "Yeah, I do."

"He's sort of just making a fool out of himself tonight, between the hot dogs, and now this charming display, and you're practically drooling."

Bella gestures at him and answers, "Can you blame me?"

Leah looks at him appraisingly and answers, "Okay, fine." She looks around the fire at the collection of shirtless men. She knows most of them have snuck a peek at her undressed, and it's time to turn the tables. "What do you say we rank them in order of overall hotness? We can get them to actually line up in descending order. Or ascending, if you prefer. Who's up first?"

Seth's head pops up and he yells, "Hey, no, not okay!" in protest.

"Don't worry, baby bro. You're not last. I'll let Swan rank you, and she has a soft spot for you."

Seth blushes and sputters an incomprehensible protest while Bella laughs, "Leah, no!"

Quil jumps to his feet and declares, "I call first!" Rachel, still close enough to hear, wanders back to the group.

Leah waves him down and says, "Nuh uh. That's not how it works. This is girl's choice."

Kim pauses in her teasing of Jacob and calls out, "In that case, Jared's first."

Leah replies, "Yeah, no. Imprints have no objectivity. Girlfriends can rank everyone but their own boyfriends. So girls, do you want to start with best or worst looking?"

Emily gamely plays along. "Based on face or body?"

"Both. Overall package." Quil snickers, and Leah responds, "Yeah. Pun intended. I can help with that. I've seen all their junk on full display."

Seth pipes up again, "Seriously, guys, no! I thought once Rosalie was gone that this would end, but you just can't stop. It's pathologic."

"This is what you all get for never putting on a shirt," Leah answers. Charlie bursts out laughing at her response. He, too, wishes the pack members would clothe themselves more fully.

"It's hot! You, of all people, know how warm we are, and how we destroy our clothing," Seth answers.

Leah looks triumphant. "Exactly. I, of all people, know just how warm you all are. Because I'm the same temperature. And I hate ripping my clothes more than you do. But you don't see me striding around LaPush in my bra and panties!"

Collin and Brady both get a glazed look in their eyes at Leah's declaration, and she knows they're both picturing her in their minds. She spots them. "Wipe it out of your brains, now! You're rapidly on your way to being tied for last, pups." The rest of the pack members are torn between looking for nonexistent shirts to cover themselves, or, like Quil, are blatantly preening. Jacob tries unsuccessfully to hide behind Jared. Leah spots him. "No such luck, boss. You're way too big to hide back there."

"He's first, anyway, and the biggest too," mumbles Bella.

The entire group howls with laughter at Bella's unintended double entendre, and Bella turns bright red in response. Leah turns to her with her hands on her hips to scold her for choosing her boyfriend, but Rachel beats her to the punch. "Yuck. No. Don't you dare go there. My baby brother cannot be the hottest guy here."

Kim answers, "But pretend he's not your brother. How good does he look?"

"It is not physically possible to look at my brother that way! Leah, tell her," she asks for help.

Leah cocks her head to the side and looks Jacob up and down, and then at Seth. "I dunno. I can tell Seth is better looking than Quil, for example, in a purely objective sense."

Quil protests, "Hey!" while Seth simultaneously blurts out, "But... but... but...," unsure if he should be offended by this or not.

Then Embry approaches with his mother, and Leah stands up to grab him and line him up beside Quil, Collin, and Brady, who are all standing together. "What's going on?" he asks.

"Rank order," answers Leah.

"What, pack order? Are we filling in gamma and delta and epsilon and stuff?" he asks, confused.

"Sure, why not," Leah replies. "Girls, help me out here." Kim obligingly pulls Jared to his feet and stands him next to Embry. Emily laughs and tugs on Sam's hand.

He protests, "How am I a part of this?"

Leah answers, "Your rank order defaults to number two, but we're rearranging based on other qualities." She raises an eyebrow at Bella. "Your man is whipped, Bella. He'll do anything you tell him to. Get him up here." Jacob is trying to slink away, but everyone can see him.

"Bells, rescue me, please!" he whines.

Bella grins at him and walks toward him. She finally sees her opportunity to get him alone. "Jake's first. No question. Girlfriend or not, mate, whatever, Jake's first and you all know it." She grabs his hand. "You all have fun debating. You don't need us for this." She tugs him down the beach. "Wanna go for a walk?"

"Spoilsport!" Leah calls after them.

"I have to go in a couple hours, and I'm really glad I'm not spending it doing that," he gestures with his thumb at his packmates, who are being lined up like lambs for slaughter. Bella readily agrees, waving to her father with her free hand. Charlie barely notices, he is laughing so hard. Bella is eager to be alone with Jacob. She has been waiting all day to have him to herself. Her mind swirls with things she wants to tell him. Words of love and encouragement and gratitude. But there is so much to say that she has no idea where to even begin.

And they don't have much time left before he has to leave. But Bella needs him, needs to be close to him, needs to feel her skin against his and show him with her body what she doesn't have the words to say. Leah provided an entertaining distraction, but it was only a slight distraction. So as soon as they're out of sight, she stops him with a tug on his hand, pulls him down to her level, and draws his lips to hers. When she threads her fingers through his hair and moans openly against his mouth, he receives the message loud and clear.

Her effect on him is instantaneous. He is immediately hard and throbbing. And he knows that no matter how many times they are together, no matter how tired he is or how familiar they are with each other's bodies, she will always be able to do this to him. Her power over him is complete. He wouldn't have it any other way.

"Please, Jacob. I need you." Her breathy sigh sends pulses to his rigid cock. God. He loves it when she begs, and she knows it. But they are still in a relatively public place. There isn't anyone directly within sight, but they are much too exposed where they are, out on the open beach. But Jacob could not deny her such a request, not on a normal night, and certainly not on this one. And he needs her as badly as she needs him.

But they aren't willing to separate long enough to walk to a better location. Instead, Jacob lifts Bella up. He tugs her legs to surround him, and picks her up by her bottom in his strong hands. The motion brings her core shifting deliciously over his cock, only a few thin layers separating them. He bears her weight easily, and marches straight into the forest. She releases his lips enough that he can see to walk. Instead of kissing his lips, she licks and sucks her way down his sensitive neck and along his collarbone, sending shivers up and down his spine. With each shift of his hips, the seam of her jeans presses into her clitoris. She grows more and more aroused with each step.

"Baby girl, I can smell you," he growls low into her ear. He deliberately grinds against her more as he walks, and relishes her groan in reply. "Next I wanna taste you." They enter the treeline, and he heads for a secluded clearing he knows is nearby, hopefully far enough away that the pack won't hear them. "And then I wanna bury myself in your sweet body until we both come." His wolf purrs in satisfaction at her whimpering response.

He reaches the clearing. There is a raised, moss-covered patch of ground in the center. But even as lovely a cushion as it would make for him, the ground beneath would still hurt Bella's skin. So Jacob gently sets her down, pushes her back against the smooth bark of a beech tree, widens his stance to bring him closer to her level, grasps her hips, and lower his lips back to hers.

She hums as she responds to him. She loves Jacob's kisses. So warm, so pliable, so passionate. Normally she could do just this for hours. But tonight, each touch of his skin on hers sets her body on fire. She parts her lips and he immediately plunges his tongue in to meet hers. He is absolutely delicious. He tastes of sugar and chocolate from old fashioned s'mores that someone brought to the bonfire. She reaches around to grab his buttocks and pull him in to grind against her sex. He eagerly obliges, and soon he has her lifted off the ground entirely, legs wrapped around him once more, denim covered cock straining against her and making her crazy. She climbs toward orgasm from his heat, his passion, his body on hers.

When he nudges her to tip her head to the side so he can access her slender neck, nibbling his way down to her collarbone, she pleads in his ear, "Please, Jacob. Please." He could come from the sound of her voice alone, heavy with desire.

"What do you want, baby? You can have anything. Anything," his response is a deep throated grumble. He wants to use his hands, his mouth, his tongue, and his cock to make her scream.

But she has other ideas. She grins and slips out from between him and the tree. He protests, but she spins him and pushes his back against the trunk. "Anything?" she asks.

"Anything," he groans.

"Then I want this," she says, and palms his huge length through the denim. She strokes a few times through his clothes, and he shudders under her touch as she licks and bites at his plump lips. What she really wants is to make him as crazy for her as she is for him. Of course, he already is.

She tips her head to bite at his sensitive nipples, drawing forth low hums from his throat, then drops to her knees and opens the button on his shorts. She unconsciously bites her lip as she slowly lowers his zipper, and he wants her even more. She tugs his shorts over his hips and her breath washes over his needy cock as he steps out of his clothing. She tosses them over her shoulder, and he reaches out in protest to try to catch them until she suddenly wraps her lips around his engorged head, and he forgets everything other than the feel of her on him. His head falls back against the tree trunk with a thud.

She gently cups his balls with her hand and rolls them as she backs up to lick up and down his length. Her mouth is scorching, and he pants with desire for her. His hands open and close erratically, and he holds himself stiff and unmoving. She knows he wants to tangle his fingers in her hair, hold her still, and lose himself in her mouth. So she pulls back just far enough to say, "Jacob, please. I need to taste you. I need you to fuck my mouth until you come."

He groans and complies. He is powerless to resist her request. His grip in her hair is firm but not painful, and his cock pushing against her parted lips is huge. His first thrust is gentle, and she tongues at his shaft eagerly. She grips his base with her hand, and he hisses at the feel of her suckling at him. He licks his lips looks down at the gorgeous sight of her mouth enveloping him.

When her eyes meet his, they are wide open and full of desire for him. She gazes at him with lust and love as she milks his shaft, and he releases his howling wolf to control his movements, panting, "Isabella." He holds her still in his hands and begins to pump into her willing mouth. It arouses her further, causing her lower lips to swell and pulse, and a rush of moisture seeps into her panties. He smells the evidence in the air around them and thrusts deeper. She opens her jaw and tightens her grip, and she wants him even more. She loves what she can do to him. She feels sexy and desirable and powerful, here on her knees on the forest floor.

She knows exactly what he likes, and she gives it to him. She undulates her tongue as he pumps his big cock between her lips, and suppresses her gag reflex. He can feel it in his dick, and pumps as deeply as she allows, farther than he would have thought possible. He can hardly believe his good fortune. The love of his life has turned out to be a deeply passionate creature with a sexual appetite and talent to match his own. She hums as he holds her still, and the vibration shoots up his spine. He curses and growls his pleasure.

Bella is as aroused as she would be if he was going down on her. But she needs just a little something, and twisting her hips and squeezing her thighs together to put pressure on her clitoris isn't nearly enough. She can't wait any longer. So she releases her gentle grip on his balls, slips her hand under her waistband and into her panties, and rubs rapid circles over her swollen, wet clitoris.

Jacob sees, and the sight of Bella touching herself triggers the loss of his already-tenuous control. He pounds his cock deeply, farther than he has ever gone. His balls tighten against his skin, his cock swells to its maximum, straining size, and he explodes down her throat, yelling, "Fuuuck!" Bella orgasms right along with him, her hips straining against her own hand. She swallows everything he has to give her and moans her contentment.

She releases him with a little pop and pulls her hand away from her own flesh, and suddenly finds herself twisted around and braced against the tree. Before she realizes quite what is going on, her top is on the moss somewhere behind Jacob, her baby blue bra hooks on a low tree branch, swinging comically from side to side, and Jacob has retrieved a condom from his pocket and slipped it on. Jacob loves the way she took charge and pleasured him, but he still wants his turn. His cock is still every bit as hard as it was when they started, but now that he came in her mouth, he easily ignores it while he fulfills his other base desires. He drops to his knees and wraps his mouth around her nipple as he unbuttons her jeans and yanks them down her hips. They get caught on her shoes, which he abruptly flings away so that he can pull her pants off her. They land nowhere near the rest of her clothing. He doesn't let go of her breast the entire time, suckling deeply and sending electric jolts to her core. Once he has gotten her pants off, he doesn't bother taking off her simple, matching bikini underwear. He just shoves them to the side and plunges three fingers deep into her aching pussy.

She gasps and arches her back and starts chanting his name as he pumps in her. He bites at her nipple before soothing it with the flat of his tongue. He strokes the most sensitive spot inside her inner walls with his curled fingers, and switches to tongue her other breast. She feels boneless, like she might collapse, but he keeps her upright with one hand in her cunt and the other gripping her hip. He wants to feel her come on his hand. So he grinds the heel of his hand against her clitoris, shifts up to rake his teeth against the mark on her breast, and she orgasms again, harder this time, wailing and bucking on his hand.

Then he slides up her body and centers his cock against her center. She fully expects him to impale her on his ready length, but instead he slides his cock against her clitoris and whispers, "Again," against her mouth before sweeping her up in his arms. He carries her to the center of the clearing where the bed of moss cushions the forest floor and sets her on her feet. She moves to lie down, but he stops her. "It's not that soft, honey. Don't hurt your back." Instead he lies flat himself and tugs on her ankle with one hand. "C'mere." He drags her panties off her legs and tosses them aside. She idly wonders if she'll altogether lose some of her clothing tonight.

He settles her right above his mouth and draws her sex down to him. "I'm gonna make you scream again before I take you." Then he tips his head up, licks a long line up her slit, and she forgets everything except the feel of him beneath her. She is lost, gone in a world that contains only the man beneath her. He is the only other person in existence. And Jacob understands just how deep he has taken her. He wants her to feel nothing but pure, passionate, loving pleasure.

He goes straight for her clitoris. He isn't going to waste any time tonight. He loves to hold her on the edge, to make her beg and moan and squirm for him, but he just doesn't have the luxury of time. So he massages her bundle of nerves with his hot tongue, and relishes the flow of arousal that it causes. It it his favorite flavor in the world. He moves down to thrust his tongue deep inside her, and she bucks and grinds down on him. He loves it. But he wants to get her off again, as soon as possible, so he slips his tongue back up to her clitoris and kisses it gently as he slides two fingers back into her body. She sobs his name and rides his hand, and he chases her clitoris with his tongue.

Bella can hardly stay upright. She finally reaches back to stabilize herself by placing her palms on his hips behind her. The position arches her back and pushes her breasts up into the air, and he wishes he could see what she looks like from above. He settles for listening to her wails and moans, and decides that he can't wait much longer to be inside her. His desperate cock bobs on his belly and leaves precum behind. Her hair brushes his stomach and cock and he wants more. He is every bit as hard as he was before she sucked him dry. He knows her body better than he knows her own. He knows exactly what to do with her. So he sucks her clitoris between his lips and suckles, simultaneously thrusting his fingers deep against her cervix, and makes her orgasm again as she chokes out, "God, Jacob, Unhh... Jacob... Unhh... Yes... God."

When she starts to come down from her high, he gently slips his hand from her body, and she slithers down his form. He runs his open hands along her flanks. She kisses him and tastes herself on his tongue as she slides her hot pussy over his cock, not quite allowing him the right angle to slip inside her. Instead she drags her clitoris along his shaft and allows the aftershocks of her orgasm to ripple through her body. He loves the feeling of her soft, warm body draped over his, but soon he can't wait any longer. He grasps her buttocks and squeezes, guiding her over his huge cock. She grips his base firmly in her hand and sinks down onto him.

He has to break their kiss to throw his head back and moan her name. She can hardly keep her eyes open. Her senses are overwhelmed, full of her Jacob. He has her pinned firmly in place with his grip on her ass. She burns as his enormous girth stretches her. It is the very best sort of pain, and it transmutes into ecstasy as he shakes and tries to hold still. Just seated still inside her, not thrusting at all, she feels every inch of his enormous cock. He is so, so deep. He gasps out, "So... goddamn... fucking... tight..." Nothing else feels like this, her wet, hot pussy clenching around him. Nothing else could ever be so good.

Finally she regains her ability to form a sentence. "Let go, Jacob, let go."

He hisses an affirmation, plants his feet, and starts plunging his cock up into her willing body again and again. He grasps her hips to steady her movements. He thrusts up and watches her slide down. Watches her ride him. Watches her smooth, bare pussy envelop his cock. Watches her breasts bounce with her movements, and then watches her pinch her nipples with her fingers. Watches her blissful expression as she gazes back at him.

It is all Bella can do to hold her position above him. When she begins to grow tired, he pulls her down against him. He keeps her firmly in place hovering over him so he can fuck her hard, one hot hand gripping her ass, the other fist wrapped around the length of her hair to keep her neck extended and exposed to his hungry lips. He pumps up into her. He alone controls their coupling, despite being beneath her. He fills her completely, like no one else could. Body, heart, and soul.

His pumping turns into desperate bucking. His grunts become growls. She responds with her own strangled, desperate whimpers. She can hardly get in enough air. She becomes dizzy, lightheaded under the force of his thrusts, her body stretched out taut above his. He takes her and she loves it. Soon, very soon, she begins to contract around him again, uncontrollably. She shakes in place as ripples of pleasure overtake her, each thrust triggering a stronger wave. He lets out a muffled yell through his clenched jaw as he realizes what he is doing to her. He is as overwhelmed as she is. Her body is perfection above his, slick and smooth and soft. Her tight nipples brush against his chest with every movement. Every place her body touches his sends electricity zinging through him. He never wants to leave this place, this woman, this love.

But he must. He must leave her to protect her. He must leave her so that he can come back to her.

He cannot hold out any longer. Her orgasm started as soft fluttering, but has built in strength and intensity. By now it is powerful, causing her pussy to lock down on his aching shaft. So he pulls her close, crushing against him, as close as she can possibly get. He moans into her mouth a desperate, "I... fucking... love you," before melding his lips to hers, slamming as hard as he can go, and releasing his ecstasy within her. They come together so forcefully that both of them lose their vision momentarily.

She collapses bonelessly on him as his grip on her softens, but he does not release her. They lie still, entwined together, his spent shaft seated within her, for long moments. Gradually Bella starts to feel the breeze on her damp skin and the hard earth beneath her knees. Jacob looks up into the night sky and eventually registers the clouds passing over the stars. Their breathing and heart rates slow to normal. At the same moment, he turns his head to her, and she to him, and they kiss deeply. But soon the breeze turns her cold, and he lifts her off him and retrieves her clothes. She immediately misses the heat of his body and the sensation of him within her.

But he gently helps her dress, kissing her softly in between each article of clothing, and runs his fingers through her tangled hair. Eventually he finds his own shorts as well, and he tugs her back toward the beach. He keeps her hand in his. She is worried that they are going to go back to the bonfire, and she just isn't ready for him to go yet. So she is relieved when he turns the other way.

A few minutes later, they arrive at their driftwood log. They sit side by side, Jacob tucks her under his left arm and holds her right hand in his, and they watch the moon rise over the Pacific. Neither of them says anything for a long time. But Jacob squeezes Bella's hand in his, and she squeezes back.

"This isn't how I thought our lives would go, Bells," Jacob begins. "I always knew you were the one for me. Always. But this isn't how I thought it would happen."

"Tell me what you thought would happen, Jake," Bella prompts him. She has no doubt that if the Cullens had never entered her life, she would have fallen for Jacob, and he for her, just as he always believed.

"I didn't think you were ever moving back here, Bells, but I thought you'd still be here for the summers. It just about killed me every year when I heard you wanted Charlie to come down to Arizona or meet you in California somewhere. But I knew you'd be back eventually, at least here and there over the summer or Christmas or something. I figured whenever you visited, I'd con Billy into getting you over here with Charlie somehow. We'd just hang out at first. I knew I'd be able to make you laugh at least. Get you to show me that perfect smile I love. I'd take you to the beach, maybe get to see you in a bikini, play with you in the water. I thought maybe one year, somewhere around now, you'd see me and realize I'm not a kid anymore."

"That part sure came true," she laughs, tracing her fingers along his prominent biceps.

"Yeah. A lot more than I expected. And kind of all of a sudden," he chuckles and draws her in for a slow, sensual kiss. He licks his lips and continues. "No, I thought maybe we'd have a summer romance. Right here on the beach. I'd seduce you over a bonfire, or if I got really lucky, you'd seduce me. Or maybe we'd have our first kiss out in the woods somewhere, on a hike, or on the back porch of Charlie's house. You'd fall for me as hard as I fell for you all those years ago. I'd be your first, and you'd be mine."

This time, Bella draws him in for a kiss instead of the other way around. She smiles against his lips and murmurs, "That part came true too. And it was more amazing, hotter and sexier and better than I ever imagined sex could be, first time or not."

Jacob wraps his arms around her waist and tucks her close, kisses her back and says, "You were incredible that night, Bells. And every time afterward just got better."

Bella can't quite decide if she wants to kiss him more, or hear his story. Eventually she has to stop to breathe anyway, and asks, "Then what?"

"Then you'd go away to school, and hopefully you'd let me visit you holidays or weekends, or come here to see Charlie. I'd write you love letters and live for the nights you'd call me on the phone. I'd work hard to get into college wherever you went and I'd follow you there."

"Sounds nice, Jake."

"I think so too. We'd both work hard and figure out what we wanted to be when we grew up, and do those things together. Maybe we could get a place together, a little crappy college apartment for just the two of us, spruce it up and make it our own. I'd study and work part time. You'd graduate first, obviously, maybe work while I finished, or maybe go to grad school. I'd try to finish in three years so you didn't have to wait as long. We'd decide to have adventures together. Backpack through Europe, maybe, or go camping across the national parks or something, and then act like grown ups and get real jobs. We'd go wherever you wanted. You could be whatever you wanted to be."

"What did you see us doing, Jake?" Now that the whole thing is at risk, she really, really wants the chance to have a mundane existence where her biggest worry is how to pay the bills.

"You might be a teacher, or a writer, open a cafe or a bookstore, or be a sexy librarian," he teases.

"Only the librarian is sexy?" she replies, eyes sparkling.

"Oh, man, you'd be the hottest teacher ever. All the boys would have such crushes on you. And you'd look great in a hostess outfit. Or I'd love to see you stretching up, wearing a short skirt, reaching up on high shelves to put books away. Mm. That'd be nice to see from behind."

She giggles. Jacob has clearly thought about this. She should have known he'd have some fantasies built up already. "What about you, Jake? What do you want to do?" She's embarrassed to realize she doesn't know.

"Engineer. Or architect. That's what I always wanted to do."

"You want to build things."

"Yeah. I want to create things."

"You'd be great at that, Jake. But then again, you're great at everything you do."

"Oh, that's not true. But I'm very good at the most important thing."

"What's that?" she asks curiously.

"Loving you," he answers simply, and her heart swells in her chest. "Want to hear the rest?" She nods. She is too choked up to speak. "Then someday I'd bring you back here, maybe some holiday or summertime, and bring you out to this log, right here." He turns to face her directly. "And I'd get down on one knee, and tell you that you were the love of my life. I'd tell you that I couldn't remember a time when I didn't love you. That I was so happy you loved me back. That I was the luckiest guy in the world, and would be the happiest man alive if you would agree to be my wife. I'd give you my mom's engagement ring, and you'd cry and tell me yes."

Bella's eyes shine with tears that match Jacob's. He has one hand in his pocket, and the other gripping hers. "But I'm still in fucking high school, and you called off another wedding just a couple weeks ago. So I'm not going to propose to you tonight, because we both know that would just be because we're both afraid I might not come home tomorrow. Instead I'm just going to make sure I come back to you."

She smiles at him through her tears. She is shocked to realize she is disappointed that he didn't actually propose. She, who never really wanted to get married, even while engaged to Edward. But this is her Jacob. Her heart, her love, her air, her sun. She would marry him in a heartbeat, no matter the circumstances, and never, ever regret it.

But he continues, "I'll come back to you. Then we're gonna live those lives. You'll go to school, I'll follow you as best I can. Then, when I can really take care of you, when I can build you a house and pay the bills and do all those adult things I'm in no position to do right now, I'm going to bring you back here in a few years. When we're both ready. I'm going to bring you back here, and I'm going to ask you to marry me."

"I'll say yes, Jacob," Bella whispers back to him as her heart thuds loudly in her chest.

His smile is as bright as the sun, and his eyes shine into hers. "I know you will, honey. Until then, though, this is yours anyway." And he pulls from his pocket a delicate band of slim, intricately woven platinum threads, with a single embedded solitaire. His mother's ring. "If it's okay with you, I'll put it on your other hand for now," he takes her right hand rather than her left. "And then, when the time comes, we'll come back here and switch it to the right finger."

The ring is just a little big. But it fits perfectly on her third finger. She cries and throws her arms around his neck, and he holds her as tightly as he can without crushing her. She wants to yell, "Yes, yes, Jacob, of course I will, yes," but he didn't actually propose. What he did was better. So she settles for murmuring, "Oh, Jacob," and then kissing him breathless.

When she comes up for air, she says, "I can't believe Billy gave this to you."

Jacob answers, "He knows you're it for me, honey. Hell, the pack knows, the Elders know, the Cullens even know. It's the mark. It's more binding than any ceremony, any piece of paper, any ring. I didn't need the mark to tell me you're my only one, but it proves it to everybody else. So as far as my dad is concerned, we got engaged the night I marked you. Even though we were miles apart."

"I'm so glad you found me, Jacob."

He presses his forehead against hers. "Actually, you found me almost every time."

She realizes the truth of his words. In their dreams, it was usually her who sought him out. "Guess a part of me knew what I really wanted, then. What I really needed."

"I'm so glad you found me, Bells. I'm so thankful. And you made me the happiest man in the world. You already have."


	42. Chapter 42

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

X-x-x-x-X  
Sunday night  
X-x-x-x-X

Bella isn't ready for Jacob to leave, but she has no choice. He waits until the last possible moment to walk back to the pack. Bella walks slowly, but they still return far too quickly for her liking.

The mood is much more somber than when they left. Emily is clinging to Sam's arm, but Sam rises to his feet when he sees them approach.

He nods at Jacob, and Leah, Embry and Quil, stand to join him. Leah immediately spots the ring on Bella's hand. Leah smiles the warmest smile Bella has ever seen from her, then gives a sly, knowing wink to both of them.

"It's time," Jacob states simply. Sam bends to kiss Emily. Embry and Quil hug their mothers. Leah ruffles Seth's hair and hands a little bag to Sue, who gestures for Bella to sit close to the fire.

Bella registers almost none of what is going on. She allows Sue to guide her and doesn't even notice the pinch in her arm. Instead she drinks in the sight of her Jacob.

Someday, Jacob will not exist. That day could be tomorrow, or she desperately hopes, several decades from now. The world will continue to spin on its axis. The tides will rise and fall. The seasons will change. Countries will make war and peace. Men and women will fall in and out of love. Babies will be born. People will live their lives. But the world will be a lesser place if Jacob Black is not in it. Particularly this corner of the world.

Bella should be afraid for herself. But she has spent too much time worrying about the fate of Bella Swan. The best man she has ever known is going to repel her enemies, and right now, her only concern is for him.  
So she stares at him, unable see anything else. Anyone else. She stares at his huge form. Skin glowing in the firelight. Movement all grace and power. Eyes simultaneously piercing and comforting. Voice deep, low, and commanding as he gives his final instructions to his pack.

And somehow, this imposing man is the same small boy who chased after her on this very beach so many years ago. How did that happen?

Leah appears at her side. "Congratulations," she says quietly.

"It's not... We're not..." she trails off.

Leah chuckles, "Is that, or is that not, what I think it is?" Leah points at Bella's hand. Bella just nods. "Then congratulations. He's good for you. And you're good for him." Bella is shocked when Leah wraps her in a soft hug. "Plus, that ring looks like it was made for you," she whispers in her ear, "unlike that other monstrosity, which looked like it was made for Elton John."

Bella laughs in surprise. Leah lets go, and Bella finally finds her voice again. "Thanks, Leah. For everything."

"You're welcome," she says, and walks back to her brother's side.

Jacob has finished talking. Sue walks to him, blocking Bella's view of Jacob's form for a minute, before handing him the contents of her small bag and then pulling him down for a tight hug. Bella sees him hang the little bag on a long drawstring around his neck. Bella notices movement in the corner of her eye. Charlie stands and approaches him. He speaks directly to Jacob. The sound of her own heartbeat pounding in her ear is the only thing Bella can hear, so she really doesn't register what her father is saying. But when Charlie reaches out to shake Jacob's hand between his, she realizes that Charlie is thanking him for what he is doing for Bella. What he already did for her. Gradually her senses come back to her, and she hears the words, "You keep everyone safe and sound. No unnecessary risks, you hear? Bella needs you. Your tribe needs you. Your father needs you. And this is going to work. So you stay safe, and stay out of harm's way as best you can, and come back home. All of you. And thank you all." Charlie's voice becomes thick with emotion. "Thank you all for protecting my little girl." Then he goes down the line and shakes the hands of Sam, Embry, Quil, and Leah.

Jacob walks to his father. He bends down to embrace Billy. "I am so proud of you." For once, his eloquent father Is too choked up to say much more. "What he said, son," he says, gesturing to Charlie.

Finally, Jacob approaches Bella and takes her right hand in his. "This looks good on you," he says, smiling gently and fingering his mother's ring. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Bells."

"Do you promise me, Jake?" she chokes out.

"We've got a date at our log out on that beach that I've got to make it back for," he murmurs, eyes twinkling in the firelight.

She smiles despite herself. "I thought you said that was in a few years?"

He returns her smile. "I'll try not to take that long." Then he leans down to kiss her softly. She feels his next words on her lips more than she hears them, "I love you honey, always, and no matter what."

Then he turns to his pack, and they jog into the trees. Seconds later each one appears just outside the treeline. Black, chocolate brown, black and grey, silver, and lastly russet. And they are gone.

Seth beaks the silence with a frustrated sigh. His mother takes his hand. "I feel so useless," he laments.

"But you're actually hurt, so you know they didn't leave you behind just 'cause they think you're just a kid," Collin retorts.

Jared interrupts, "You know that's not why we're here. Jake wasn't about to let the pack get split in so many directions as last time. It's how come Seth got hurt in the first place."

Paul continues, "Defending the Rez isn't a second tier job, pup." He says it to Collin, but looks at Rachel as he says it. Jacob made the right choice leaving him and Jared to guard LaPush. They will protect their imprints, and therefore this place and Bella within it, to the death. But if their plan works, they will have to fight no one at all.

Soon everyone disperses. Kim and Jared leave with Emily, while Collin and Brady depart together. Their parents agree that the boys should keep sticking together. Sue and Seth drive Tiffany Call home, while the Atearas linger by the fire a while longer. Paul tells Rachel and Bella quietly that he will be outside their house all night long, staying in contact with the other wolves. Charlie, Billy, Rachel, and Bella return to the little red house.

"I'm so glad to be here if I can't be with Jacob," Bella says quietly to Rachel, sitting in the kitchen. "It feels like home."

Charlie overhears. He isn't offended in the least. He feels exactly the same way. He would rather be going to the lake to assist directly, but it is no place for a human during such an encounter. He knows he would be a liability, and thus agreed reluctantly to stay behind. And this house, with his daughter in it and his oldest friend, is the only other place to be. He is still a little annoyed at Billy, not so much for not revealing the tribe's true nature to him, but for not telling him more explicitly about the theat Edward posed to his daughter. But Billy has placed his own son between Bella and the vampires, so he can hardly ask for more now. He hears Rachel respond to Bella.

"Paul said that they thought about asking you to go somewhere else entirely. Somewhere far. But you'd need at least one or two wolves with you, and those wolves would be separated from the rest of the pack, and I think Jacob learned his lesson from Bree sending them all out in different directions. He had to leave LaPush protected, not to mention everybody's families and Kim and Emily, so if you're here, and everyone else is too, there only needed to be two groups of wolves."

Rachel hands a steaming mug of tea to Bella where she sits at the kitchen table, staring blankly at the wall. Charlie wanders in with Billy close behind. He opens the fridge and pulls out a beer, offering one to Billy.

"Oh, I think I need something a little stronger than that," Billy waves the beer away and opens his liquor cabinet. "No buffalo sweat today, but how about a scotch?" Charlie readily accepts.

Rachel steps into the next room, where Bella sees her kneeling by a bookshelf. She pulls out a worn leather binder and sits on the floor, thumbing through it and smiling. "He used to be so small!" she remarks. "I look at him now, and just think that can't possibly be my baby brother."

Bella settles behind her and looks over her shoulder. Rachel runs her thumb over a picture of a plump, naked, grinning baby sitting in the Blacks' kitchen sink, happily splashing away. "This is my baby brother. How did he turn into this?" She pulls a loose picture from the shelf. The picture is from earlier in the summer, before Jacob became Alpha, before he reached his maximum height and build. In it, he is laughing hard at something Quil has said, arm tossed around Embry's shoulders. All three boys are in their usual attire of cutoff shorts and nothing else. "I thought when I saw him again that for sure he must be on steroids or something. But no. I never in a million years would have guessed what really happened to make him buff up like that."

"And he's even taller now," says Billy, rolling into the room.

Charlie walks over and peeks. "Looks even older now, too. It isn't just that he doesn't look like your baby brother, Rachel. He looks older than you."

Rachel smiles sadly. "Acts a lot older, too, hot dog eating contests aside." She flips the pages slowly. Billy throwing baby Jacob high in the air as one of the twins crawls between her father's legs. Jacob, still in a high chair, entirely asleep and face-down in a bowl of green beans. Sarah tickling a toddler-sized Jacob on her lap as he squirms and laughs. Rachel and Rebecca dressing the pouting little boy in a dress, ribbons in his hair, his arms folded over and a wrinkle in his forehead in silent protest.

"I remember that day! I was over here with Harry and we were watching a Seahawks game." Charlie laughs. "When you guys finally took all that stuff off him, he refused to wear clothes for the rest of the day so we could all see he was really a boy!"

Billy grins. "Wouldn't even put a diaper back on. Sarah was so worried he was going to pee on the floor, but he didn't!"

Rachel flips a few pages. One photo in particular catches Bella's eye. Jacob in a sandbox with an adorable little dark-skinned, pigtailed girl that Bella doesn't recognize. Jacob pushes a toy bulldozer in the sand while the girl gazes at him with blatant adoration in her eyes.

"Who's that?" she asks, absurdly feeling jealous of the small girl in the photograph.

"Oh, I forgot all about her. Jasmine is her name. She's Brady's cousin. They were in preschool together, and in all of their classes in elementary school too," Rachel answers. "She was the founding member of the Jacob Black fan club."

"Wait. What?" Bella asks.

"When he was little, he had this gaggle of girls who followed him around. They all had crushes on him. Becca and I called them his fan club."

"I didn't know that. I remember the girls, though. It was never clear to me that he even realized they liked him that way," Billy says.

"She was the first, and a couple years later she got her little friends in on it. He'd hang out with them all year long, if Quil and Embry weren't available, until summertime. Then he'd forget all about them when it was time for you to come visit, Bella. It drove them crazy. He'd mope for weeks after you went home, but eventually he'd play with them again. They all had crushes on him until Quil convinced him girls were icky and he wouldn't have anything to do with any of them anymore. Most of them got over it."

"She still had a crush, though," Billy adds. "Even when he quit spending time with any of the girls."

"I don't remember that phase. He said girls have cooties once, but he still wanted to play with me," Bella frowns.

Charlie laughs. "That's because the phase never applied to you, Bells."

"He's been in love with you forever. Don't you get that by now?" Rachel teases. "I always thought he was going to be a heartbreaker when he grew up, since he was always ditching those girls to follow you around. And he was always a good looking boy. But I figured you'd never feel the same way, so his ego would stay in check. Guess I was wrong."

"But now he's got you and he's the Alpha. So we'll probably have to watch out for that ego swelling totally out of control," Billy jokes.

"Nah," Charlie retorts. "He's a good kid."

"But he's got a cocky edge to him. You know he does," Rachel retorts.

"That was all bluster and bravado," Charlie answers.

Billy answers, "Yeah, but the bravado was just to cover up how insecure he felt about your daughter. I don't think that's gonna be an issue now."

Bella knows better. Some of it was, yes, when he was still pursuing her as she was obliviously fawning over Edward Cullen. But finally accepting his Alpha role, in addition to winning her, has let his natural dominance rise to the surface. But that is not the same thing as ego. In that sense, Charlie is right. Jacob is humble. He has seen too much danger, faced death too many times, to be arrogant.

Rachel keeps flipping pages, and eventually asks her father, "What are these blank spots?" referencing the occasional pages where there were obviously pictures at one point.

Billy grins, "Pictures of Bella. He stole them all. I'm not sure what he did with them though. Took me a while to figure out what was going on. Sometimes he was quick enough that he'd get to them before we had a chance to put the pictures in albums, other times not."

Bella stands and slips into Jacob's room. She knows where the pictures are. She opens his closet and finds the box marked "B". She found it once in a dream right before Jacob came back from Canada. She has never bothered looking for it until today, but there was no doubt in her mind that it was really there. And indeed, when she opens the box, the contents are exactly as she remembers. She rifles through the shells and pretty rocks, the pinecone and the ribbon for her hair, and pulls out the pictures. She returns to the living room and hands them to Billy. "They were in his room," she explains.

"Ooh," Rachel exclaims. "Find anything embarrassing in there?"

"Do these count?" Bella asks.

Rachel narrows her eyes. "Where did you find these?"

"In a box."

"Where was the box?" her eyes twinkle with mirth.

"In the closet," Bella admits.

"You were digging the closet?"

"I knew they were in there!" Bella protests.

"And what else was in the box?" Rachel retorts.

"Trinkets and these. Nothing embarrassing," Bella answers. Rachel just cocks a brow at her and waits. "It's sweet. He kept a box of things that reminded him of me."

"Aw!" Rachel smiles. "See, I told you. He's been in love with you forever. Show me the box."

Bella isn't certain if Jacob would want to keep these things to himself, but none of it is embarrassing material, and frankly they all need a pleasant distraction so they don't just sit around worrying. She retrieves the box and hands it to Rachel, who says, "This would be creepy and stalkerish if an adult did it, but he obviously started this box when he was a little kid. And it's just adorable since you've ended up together. Otherwise it would probably just be sad." She opens the box. "Okay, some of this I remember. These shells and things from the beach. He followed you around like he was your little slave and carried all the stuff you wanted to take home. You gave him some of them?"

Bella nods. "I picked out my favorite one each time and gave it to him."

"Oh, that's sweet!" She pulls out the pinecone. "Was this from the beach?"

This time Billy laughs and answers, "No, is that what I think it is?"

Bella cringes. "That one's not so sweet. I threw it at him. He told me that Quil said that all girls have cooties. I had that in my hand already, and I beaned him in the head with it. Purely by luck, since I have no aim."

Charlie snorts. "Man, he had it bad if he kept something you assaulted him with."

Billy chuckles with him. "He did have it bad. He was so upset. He wasn't trying to say you have cooties, Bella. He said you never let him finish his sentence. He swore that he was about to say that he would stop being friends with Quil if you wanted him to. But you just got mad, threw that at him, and stormed off. He was so mad at himself for upsetting you. And then you went back to Phoenix a couple days later and you weren't coming back for a year. I thought he was going to cry. He hadn't cried for at least two or three years. He didn't cry, but it was hard."

Bella remembers, "That's why he sent me all those apologies in the mail! I remember that I got a letter a day for, like, two weeks straight, all saying that he was sorry and he hoped we could still be friends. I had no idea what he was talking about."

"Eventually you wrote him back and said everything was fine and you still liked him best and you would see him next summer. So he recovered after that, but it was sort of a rough couple of weeks."

Rachel pulls out Bella's graduation program, which is self-explanatory, but then holds up the ticket stub for Face Punch with a quizzical look. "I'm guessing this wasn't your first date. Not very romantic."

Bella laughs, "It was one of the most awkward nights ever. Just after he asked me to be his Valentine. It was right before he phased. A bunch of people were supposed to go out, but most of them got sick. So it was me sitting between Jake and Mike Newton, both of them trying to be on a date with me. The movie was hilariously bad, so Jake and I had fun heckling it, but Mike caught the stomach flu. And I was still caught up in my post-Edward funk. I kept trying to tell myself that I just liked Jake like a brother. Good thing he knew better."

"Well, you did used to think of him much more like a brother. When you were both this old," Charlie says, holding up a picture of them as children leaning together on their driftwood tree, looking out over the Pacific. "And that's just fine."

Bella reaches out for the picture. Just moments ago, Jacob gave her his mother's ring at that very spot. She can't help but tear up just a little, but manages not to cry. Billy says quietly, and with a small smile on his face, "But Jacob never thought of you like a sister. First time he told me he was going to marry you, I think he was five or six years old. Probably not too far off from that picture." Bella sees that Billy is looking both at the picture and at the ring on her finger.

She works up the courage to say, "Thank you for the ring, Billy. I can't tell you how much it means to me. He took me to this log to give it to me," she points at the photo.

Rachel has just figured out what Bella and Billy are talking about, and is staring with wide eyes. Charlie is leaning back with arms folded. He wears the same small smile that Billy does. Billy turns to Charlie, "Did he ask you permission?"

Charlie shrugs, "Not exactly. Guess you could say he just gave me fair warning."

Rachel finds her voice. "You guys got engaged?"

"No. No, we didn't," Bella denies.

Rachel just looks confused. "Then what's that all about?" She points to her mother's ring.

Now Bella starts to tear up again from a combination of terror and giddy joy. "I don't think there's a word for it. Promise ring, maybe? He said he didn't want to propose just because he was going away and might not come back. He said he'd give it to me now, but then he'd come back, and later when we're both ready, he'll propose for real and move the ring to the right finger."

"Oh!" And suddenly Bella finds herself enveloped by Rachel's arms. "How romantic! You did get engaged." She pulls back. "Men don't give their mother's engagement rings out as promise rings, Bella."

Bella laughs through the tears wetting her face. "That's what Leah said, too."

Rachel pulls back. "But you guys are just babies!"

Bella huffs a laugh. "That's why he didn't actually propose. He wants to be able to take care of me before he proposes."

She is shocked when she hears her father's dry response, "He already takes great care of you, Bells. If you say no when he finally asks you for real, I'm disowning you."

"Hey!" she laughs in protest. "It's not that one sided, you know!"

Billy defends her. "You're just as good for him as he is for you, dear."

Charlie deadpans, "Now that she's come to her senses."

Billy pats her hand gently. "Don't you listen to him. You're good for my boy. You turned him into a man. You turned him into a leader. You turned him into a true spirit warrior. So when he asked me for my Sarah's ring, I didn't hesitate for a single second to give it to him. And I'm glad to see it on your hand. It's not meant to sit in a drawer."

Bella can't quite hold back the tear that slides down her cheek. She lets her hair fall forward to shield her as she rapidly wipes it away.

After that the group splits up. Charlie and Billy return to the kitchen for more scotch, while Rachel heads outside to say goodnight to Paul, who is dutifully phased in the edge of the forest, communicating with the rest of the pack.

Bella grabs one of Jacob's shirts to sleep in and heads to the shower. She has the odd thought that she wishes his scent came out of a bottle so she could smell like him after using his soap, but the soap is unscented. But she uses his towel to dry herself, and wraps herself in his shirt and sheets and tries to sleep.

It is nearly impossible. She thought it was agonizing to sit by this very bed while he left his body to go search for the Volturi, wondering if anything might happen to his wandering spirit. This is much, much worse. At least before, his body was right here beside her, his form solid, warm, and comforting. This time, she has nothing to soothe her rattled nerves. All she can do is wait and worry. Which is exactly what she does for several sleepless hours, twisting her ring around her finger and contemplating her life.

Bella had wanted to be with Edward so that she could become someone else entirely. Something totally other than herself. Being with Jacob is just the opposite. Being with Jacob brings out the very essence of her truest self. She sees her future when she kisses him. If he does not return, who will she become without him? She knows he does not want that for her, does not want her to lose herself so fully in his identity as to lose her own. But can she still grow up without him? She hopes desperately that she does not have to find out. Sometime in the deep of the night, she drifts off, and dreams of tossing restlessly in the very bed in which she lays.

X-x-x-x-X

Jacob runs. Leah is right on his heels, followed by Sam, Quil, and Embry. For once, he doesn't work to hide his thoughts from his pack. He lets his memory wash over him. He recalls the expression of joyful shock on Bella's face when he slipped his mother's ring on her finger, eyes sparkling with tears. Everything he has ever wanted is so, so close. He will do anything he can to grasp it and never let it go.

_We're really happy for you, man,_ says Embry quietly.

_It's been a long time coming, _Quil gently teases, _but she's finally come to her senses. For a while there, I was beginning to wonder._

_I think it was all for a reason, _Embry muses. _If she had never gotten mixed up with Cullen, if Jake never had to fight for her the way he did, he never would have had the need to learn to spirit walk. I mean, no one has known how to do that for hundreds of years. You're gonna have to teach us all how to do it, Jake._

_We're working on it, _Jacob answers.

_So there was a purpose behind it all? It's not just a matter of Bella having bad judgement? _They can all hear the laughter in Quil's tone.

_I don't think there's any way you can spin this to remove all culpability from her,_ Leah responds dryly, _but truth is, Cullen manipulated her from the start. The things he did set him up as her knight in shining armor, made him look good._

_The things he did scared her into thinking she needed him. Into making her totally dependent on him. _Jacob gets angry thinking about it. He almost regrets that they burned Cullen to ash. He would love to reassemble the pieces just so he could rip them apart again. _He had her totally convinced after she met the Italian bloodsuckers that she had no choice other than being turned._

_Do you think he did it on purpose?_ Embry asks._ Do you think luring her to Italy was just another trap?_

_I'm pretty sure it was. And guilting her into coming by threatening suicide? That's a pretty effective way to get anyone to do whatever you want. But I bet he had no intention of actually getting hurt. Did you guys ever hear how he was supposedly going to kill himself? It was absurd. There was some festival going on in the public square. It was really busy. He was going to step outside when it was packed, take off his shirt, and show everyone his sparkly skin._

_That's it?_ Leah asks incredulously. _That was a surefire way to get him killed?_

_I know, right? _Jacob answers. _If you saw a vampire out in public in the sun, and had no idea what one was supposed to look like, you wouldn't stare at him and think, "Shit, it's a bloodsucking monster."_

Quil laughs, _Yeah, you'd think, "Huh, why the fuck is that dude covered in glitter?"_

_Right! Exactly. If you had a serious desire to end everything, you'd attack one of the Volturi, or some other vamp you thought was stronger than you. I'm pretty sure the only thing Cullen wanted was to lure Bella there and get her to meet the Volturi. Stepping out in the sun was a great way to get in trouble. Not to get killed._

_What a manipulative prick! _Leah announces.

_Why do you think he dumped her in the first place? The time he left her in the forest?_ Sam asks. They all flash back to his memory of finding her curled on the forest floor.

_Wish I knew that. Maybe he just had something he had to go do. Maybe he got bored of her, just like he told her, but then changed his mind later and wanted her back. Or it could even have been what he said later. That he actually did have a conscience somewhere in there, buried deep, and left her for her own good. But then once he was away from her realized he couldn't stand it and had to have her back._

_Thank goodness she had you to keep her out of trouble. And we're going to make sure you get back to her,_ Leah states calmly.

As much as he values Bella's safety, he is not naive to the risk his packmates are taking to protect her. Unlike Edward Cullen, who entirely disregarded the consequences his actions would have on his family, Jacob's pack and his tribe are at the forefront of his mind. And after nearly losing Seth and Brady, the potential danger of their situation is clearer than ever. He answers, _We're all going to get back. Like Charlie said: No unnecessary risks. We all have people at home who need us. And the last thing the tribe needs is a bunch of rabid bloodsuckers descending on the Rez. So we're going to be very, very careful, and we're all going to go home._

_It's smart, what you and Charlie decided we should do, _Sam replies.

_Let's just hope we can pull it off, and be done with this mess once and for all, _says Jacob. _Let's go over it one more time. _They spend the remainder of their run reviewing their strategy.

They arrive at the lake house a little before dawn. Rosalie opens the front door. "Morning. You guys ran all night, huh?"

"Yeah, didn't want to push it too close. We could have come yesterday, but we wanted to spend time with the pack and our families," Jacob answers.

"Sure. If anyone needs some sleep, you could use any of the rooms upstairs."

"Unfortunately, then the whole place would smell like us. Is the other one available?"

Rosalie nods. "Yeah. Let me show you. It's not far." She leads them along the shore. The property upon which the house sits is rather large and secluded, but it does have boundaries. Two houses down they stop. This home is more modest than the rental that Cullen used, but will suit their purposes well enough. She unlocks the door and leads them inside.

"Do you think there's a chance the range could be too far?" Sam asks.

"I hope not," Jacob answers, "but we're just going to have to find out the hard way. We could use the basement of the house itself, but they'd sense us in there."

"There were two other rentals available, but this one is the closest. And it has a fireplace in the living room, which is pretty big, so I set up in there."

Quil jokes, "But the surveillance van would have been so cool!"

"We can still use it as backup if this place turns out to be too far. But those things are conspicuous to normal people. You honestly think the vampires wouldn't have wondered why there are heartbeats coming from an unmoving van parked on the street?" Leah admonishes.

"Well, at least this place has a kitchen," Quil answers.

"I didn't have time to buy food," Rosalie says, "but there's a grocery store and restaurants not far from here."

"You didn't exactly have a lot of free time. I know where they are," Embry offers to go.

"Wearing that?" Leah points at his shirtless chest. "I'll go. Just tell me where."

Leah leaves, while the rest of the wolves follow Rosalie to inspect her setup. A large fireplace dominates the far end of the room. Monitors flanked by two speakers line the left wall, and Rosalie has the shades drawn over all the windows. She has moved the normal furniture out of the room. In place of the couch sit five locked safes in a neat row. A nondescript brown blanket is folded on each one. Otherwise the room is bare.

"Wow, you got everything done awfully fast," Sam remarks.

"Super speed plus never having to sleep have its advantages," she replies, shrugging. "We've had to be very careful over the years, and have had need of fairly sophisticated surveillance equipment in order to monitor our surroundings in case anyone were to become suspicious about us. So we already had almost everything I needed to set this up. Chief Swan filled in the rest. It was just a matter of driving it over and setting it up."

"It looks perfect," Jacob nods, impressed.

"I could use a second person to help me test the sound and the range," she states.

"I'll go over there if you like," Quil offers.

"Then we'll run into the scent problem again. If we spend too much time over there, they could easily notice it. I'd like to be as inconspicuous as possible," Jacob says.

"I'll show you how this stuff works, then I'll run over myself and you guys can listen from here. I can explain my own scent. They won't think it's so unusual for one of us to have been by to talk to Edward."

Embry in particular is fascinated by the equipment. He sits down at the bank of monitors and keyboards and listens intently to everything Rosalie says. She points out the map she has outlined of their surveillance space. They turn on the equipment, and she grabs a backpack off the kitchen counter and leaves. Moments later she appears on the righthand most screen in the upper right corner. "Testing, testing," they hear, as she looks right into the camera. She pulls her phone out of her pocket and dials with one hand, while with the other she removes a piece of cloth from her pack and rubs it on the grass.

The house phone rings, and Sam answers. "We hear you just fine."

She moves out of the first frame and into the second, still on the same monitor. She is in the backyard behind the vacation house. She crisscrosses back and forth and asks, "Are there any blind spots?"

Sam answers into the phone, "Yeah. Just to the side of that elm." She moves to the tree. "Uh huh, we can't see you on any screen."

Embry reaches out his hand to take the phone. "Rosalie, try turning the southwestern camera. One side of that frame is a little redundant and should capture the blank spot if we can angle it just right."

After a minute of fiddling, they can see the blank spot. They repeat the same process until they can visualize the entire yard. Meanwhile, Jacob sends Quil and Sam off to sleep for a few hours. Everyone is exhausted from their sleepless night running, and there is no reason for each of them to be awake. Leah returns at the same time that Rosalie's phone chimes. She puts Embry on hold, but they can hear her half of the conversation through their speakers. She looks at her watch. "Hello, Carlisle... So they're right on time. How long do you think you have? Yeah... Okay... Go ahead and tell them I've come down here. My scent is all over the place, so they'll know it anyway, and this way we can be consistent. Yes... Yes.. That's all still the same. No change there... Right. You can call Jacob on the land line if you want to review things with him. I'll be on my cell, obviously... Thanks. You too. Bye." She picks up their line again. "So I think you figured out that the've landed. Carlisle expects them around noon, maybe one."

Leah enters the house, and Jacob relieves Embry of his duties at the monitor so that he and Leah can eat, asking Embry to update the wolves back in LaPush. Over the next hour, they adjust the cameras inside the home. She switches cloths in her pack and rubs it against furnishings and the floor. Once that task is complete, there is little to do but wait. Rosalie returns, and Jacob is amused to see that Leah slaps Rosalie on the shoulder playfully in greeting, and decides that the two women are make the oddest couple of friends he will ever see.

Then he sends Leah and Embry off to sleep as well. He isn't sure if he can relax enough to sleep, but he can always eat. Rosalie sits at the kitchen table as he digs into a heaping pile of sausages and eats three Belgian waffles. She wrinkles her nose and says, "I used to miss eating human food. Not so much right now."

"At least this is all normal food, although I will certainly admit there's a lot of it. There's no way you will ever convince me that it's more gross than straight up, plain blood." Jacob shudders a bit in disgust. She just smirks at him. Her acrid acrid scent still burns his nose. He can put up with it, certainly, but it only makes him more certain that he needs to keep Bella from a future as a vampire. "But seriously, thanks. Thank you for what you're doing. What you already did."

"I'm just following your plan, Jacob. Not much trouble at all."

He shakes his head ruefully. "It's so much more than that, and you and I both know it. Whatever happens today, even if it all fails miserably, you gave us a few more days with each other. Happy and human. And this gives us a chance to stay that way."

"That's all this is about, Jacob. I wish someone had done this for me. Don't get me wrong. By the time Carlisle found me, there were only two choices. This or true death. So I can't exactly be ungrateful, can I? But this existence, other than finding Emmett, it's no life at all. There is no progress. No evolution. No getting better or smarter or learning to be a better person."

"Well, that can't be completely true. Look at us right now. Look at all you've done for us. Would you ever have guessed a year ago that this is what you'd be doing right now?"

She laughs, and the sound is musical to his ears this time rather than harsh and grating as vampires normally sound to him. "No, you're right. So maybe there is some hope for me."

"I hate to speak against the man, since I really do think Carlisle is a good person. But the way he drags you all around with him has you convinced that there isn't anything more for you. Isn't anything better."

"He's protective of us."

"Overprotective, at least in your case, and underprotective in Edward's. When this is all said and done, you just can't go back to high school again," he admonishes.

"No, you're right. If I've got a soul, high school is sucking it out of me," she chuckles darkly.

"So what do you want to do instead?"

"I think I'll try med school again. If it works out, I could do a residency in something. Probably I still look too young to get a real job after that."

"But you could do keep doing residencies. You'd be doing something useful every time, and the shitty hours and sleeplessness shouldn't matter to you."

"What do I do with Emmett? He doesn't have the control to be around blood on a regular basis."

"Can't he get a normal job and contribute to society? Or if not, he can just be your personal slave."

She grins. "I do like the sound of that."

Soon he is done eating, and Rosalie waves him toward a bedroom saying, "You're not going to be of much use to anyone dead on your feet. And it's not like I've got somewhere I need to be. I'll wake you up when we know more from Carlisle." He nods and shuffles off for a quick shower, then climbs into a twin bed, much too small for his massive frame, Embry's quiet snores filling the room from the bed opposite his. As soon as he completes a thought about how he doesn't think he'll be able to fall asleep due to nervous energy, he drifts off, overtaken by simple exhaustion.

He wakes a few hours later to Rosalie's voice from the doorway. "They're on their way now."

He is immediately on alert, and springs out of bed. "Then it's time."

The rest of the pack is already waiting and eating sandwiches. Leah pushes a mug of coffee into one hand and a roast beef sandwich into another. He finishes five in less than then as many minutes while Rosalie debriefs them. "They met with Carlisle just as expected. And like he was supposed to, he told them he is very disappointed in Edward's actions toward Bella. He told them that I think he has lost his mind, and that I've already come down here to try to talk him out of changing her."

"And me?" Jacob asks.

"He was able to confirm what you understood from listening to them when you sent your spirit to Italy. They think you're a shaman of some kind, not a werewolf. Edward really didn't tell them much. Information is power, you know? He probably thought the more he could keep to himself, the more he could hold over them. He could always tell them everything once they got here, after all. So they think you're some kind of a medicine man who cast a spell over Bella to bind you to her, and that Chelsea is here to break the spell and bind her to Edward. He told them that you're the most powerful shaman in the tribe to be born for centuries. That you have powers no one else has displayed for generations."

"Last part's not too far off, actually," Sam says.

Rosalie continues, "As for Carlisle, he said that he wants Edward to leave you alone either way. He said that he only changes dying humans to save their lives, but he was making an exception for you since you asked to be changed. But now that you've changed your mind he doesn't want Edward to go through with it. And that what Edward is doing is too risky, between Bella being the daughter of the chief of police, and her relationship with you, that Edward is making it very difficult for the rest of the family to blend in peacefully like they want to. He asked them to help him broker a peaceful resolution, which sounds exactly like something he would ask for."

"And?" Leah asks.

Rosalie shrugs. "They played polite; they'd never just start arguing with Carlisle. But their motivation has to be getting Edward for the guard, and getting Bella turned either by themselves or by him, so she can join the guard as well." She turns back to Jacob. "And Carlisle told them a couple other useful things about you. They think that you are a renegade from your tribe. That you're not supposed to be with Bella. That you're supposed to be with a Quileute girl, and that no one approves of your relationship with her. They sort of think you've gone rogue. And he confirmed that Edward hasn't killed you yet because he needs Chelsea to break the spell first."

Jacob nods. "Then he teed us up perfectly. We're all set." He steps into the living room. "Light a fire," he instructs Quil.

When that is complete, he nods at Sam. "Open them."

One by one, Sam spins the dials carefully, opening the door to each safe. He hands a leg to Embry, the other to Leah, the remaining arm and a blanket to Quil, and he himself keeps Bree's torso and head. They move to opposite corners of the room, Quil right next to the fireplace. Rosalie pulls a fire extinguisher from the kitchen. Jacob crosses his arms over his chest and nods, and Sam fits the head onto the body. Bree's eyes pop open, and her limbs begin to writhe. Sam holds her in the same humiliating position he used previously, out at arm's length, swinging comically by her hair.

"Good morning, sunshine," Jacob says in a low, deadly voice.

"Still want to go through with your ridiculous scheme, mutts?"

He simply nods. "Sure do."

"You outnumber them two to one. Why not just take them out? Don't think you have it in you?" she taunts.

"There isn't a doubt in my mind that the six of us could slaughter the three of them. I don't need to prove it to you or anyone else."

"So you'll just take the coward's way out?" she retorts.

"Call it whatever you want," Jacob calmly answers. "We're sticking with the plan."

Bree narrows her eyes at Jacob. "I still fail to see why I should help you."

Jacob tips his chin at Quil, who holds Bree's arm by its wrist, fingers flexed safely away from his own hand, and casually lights the end of it on fire. Bree screams in agony. Jacob nods at Quil again, and he smothers the flaming end in a fire retardant blanket until the flames go out.

Jacob kneels so he is at eye level with her, only a foot away from her face. She snaps her teeth at him uselessly. His voice is calm but acidic. "If you don't help us, I will not kill you. We'll just do that, over and over, until we get bored. Then we'll rip your head off and put you away until we're bored again, and we'll do that anytime we want. And that's not all. We can use you to train new pups. Pull you out and stick your legs on and let you run, give new wolves a chance to chase a real, live vampire, and they can rip you to shreds when they catch you. The possibilities are endless. And it doesn't have to end when we die. We can pass you to future generations of packs and let them get a chance at you. Let them invent new ways to torment you. And don't think you can use this opportunity to stab us in the back. Don't think you can get out of this. We are entirely capable of taking down three measly vampires, super powers or not. If you try to fuck us on this, we'll just kill them the old fashioned way, and then we'll have the rest of our lives to pay you back." He grins at her ferally.

She squeezes her eyes shut. "So that's my option. My one option. Help you or get tortured for the rest of existence." She opens her eyes again and stares him right in the eyes.

"I'm a fair man, believe it or not. And more importantly, I realize that threats will only get me so far. I realize that if threatening to set you on fire over and over just pisses you off instead of motivating you, I'm shit out of luck. So here's the deal. If you pull this off, if you succeed, we'll put your body parts on a plane, fly them overseas, and let you try to reassemble yourself. Provided you never, ever step foot in North America."

Her eyes narrow in suspicion. "It's a trick, and I don't believe you for a second. You can't be that foolish. You'll wonder, every day for the rest of your life, if I'm coming back to for you. For your mate."

Rosalie takes a small box from behind one of the keyboards. "That's what these are for." She opens the box to reveal several microchips. "GPS trackers. There are a bunch in here. We'll rip you to tiny pieces and embed them within you. I'll keep track of you. Every move you make. You can try to take them out. You'll probably manage to find several, maybe all of them. If you have the wherewithal to rip off your own body parts and pry them out. But several are going to be embedded in your head and neck, so good luck getting them out and still surviving. But you'll have to get all of them out at once, every single one, and you'll have to do it really fucking fast, and then you have to run as quickly as you can. Because if you tamper with a single one of these, I will personally hunt you down and rip you to pieces."

Jacob finishes, "Or you could just be a good girl, and stay far, far away from here, and do whatever the hell else you want."

Rosalie adds, "But stay the fuck out of Italy. Do not go joining the Volturi. You don't want to anyway. They'll trick you into thinking you're happy with them, but you'll just be a slave to their manipulations. Enjoy your freedom outside the Americas and outside Italy, and you can do whatever you want."

Jacob asks, "Do we have a deal? Or shall I have Quil motivate you a little more?"

Quil grins and holds the arm closer to the fire as it thrashes and fails to slip out of his grasp. Bree stops him before he can light the appendage again. "Fine, fine. I'll do it. Okay."

Quil frowns. "I was really itching to do that again. Feel free to fuck up, just a little, to give me an excuse."

Now Bree looks smug. "Don't hold your breath, mutt. I'm very, very good at what I do."

Jacob reaches into the pouch around his neck and pulls out the two vials of blood that Sue gave to him. "In that case, Sam, tip her back." Sam complies, resting the back of Bree's neck in one arm and propping up her torso with the other. "Open wide. This one's nasty, so prepare yourself," Jacob says. She does so, and he unplugs the first vial and tips it into her mouth. She makes a face of displeasure but swallows it obediently.

"That's you, huh? You taste absolutely disgusting. And I don't even get the reward of sinking my teeth into you and ripping out a nice chunk, or watching my venom kill you slowly."

"Tough luck," Jacob replies. "You'll like this one better. But if you like it too much, I'm ending you once and for all." She nods as best she can from her awkward position. Jacob tips the second vial into her waiting mouth. She can't help but hum a bit in satisfaction. He glares at her. "Not a single word, leech." She just nods again. "Okay. Show us what you can do."

Sam moves to stand in front of the bank of monitors. First Rosalie explains what each of the monitors display. Then, after making the the coast is clear, Sam steps outside to point her in the general direction of the house. "Think you can handle that range?" he asks. "If not, we can get you closer, but this is much simpler."

Bree scoffs. "Don't insult me. Look." They turn to the bank of monitors. She has already projected an image of a naked Bella writhing on top of an ecstatic and equally naked Edward on the bed.

Jacob rolls his eyes and nods at Quil, who immediately lights her arm back on fire. "Do it right, or pay the price," he says calmly as Bree screams. Quil smothers the fire.

"Okay. Okay," she breathes. "Just tell me what you want. I remember it, basically, but let's go over it again. I need more detail. It isn't convincing without the proper detail."

Jacob takes a leg from Embry so he can phase and communicate with the pack members back home. Embry tries to tuck his massive wolf form into a corner. They spend the next couple hours reviewing and even rehearsing what Bree will show the Volturi when they arrive.

Just as the sun starts to set over the western forest edge, they spot movement on one of their monitors. Three hooded figures glide into the frame, their faces hidden by the hoods on their cloaks. There is just enough light left to illuminate them. Any later, and their approach would have been nearly invisible to the cameras. The Volturi guard pauses to listen.

"Get out! Leave while you still have your life to take with you!" Bree has Edward's cadence down just right. Malice and anger drip from his lips. He yells at Jacob from his spot on the balcony. Bella appears to be tied to the bed, and she struggles uselessly against her bonds. Bree adds tears that pool and roll down into her hair.

"Nice touch," says Leah. After all, no one else can see Bella. It simply adds to the authenticity of the experience.

"I'm not leaving without her, leech. You'll have to kill me if you want me gone." Bree doesn't quite pitch Jacob's snarl as low and as menacing as it would be in real life, but it is no matter. The Volturi have no idea what he really sounds like. The real Jacob tries not to get angry as he watches the farce play out on screen. He has to remind himself that it is all a trick. An illusion. The love of his life is safe in his own home. Not trapped with Edward. Both Jared and Paul are outside the house guarding her. At this moment, she is safer than anyone else.

"That can be easily arranged!" Edward replies.

"Then fucking get down here and face me like a man!" Jacob roars onscreen.

In the control room, Jacob tells Bree, "Now Bella." Immediately the Bella tied to the bed protests and tells Jacob to save himself and leave her behind.

In a flash, Edward flings himself down lands behind Jacob, grabbing him in a choke hold with one hand and twisting his arm behind him with the other, bending the taller man backward painfully. "Break the spell, Black. Give her back to me, or I'll break both your arms!"

The real Jacob leans down to Bree and feeds her nonsense Quileute words. The illusory Jacob mutters the same words through his strangled windpipe, and Edward jumps back in pain, massaging his forearm and hand. On the next screen, Jane murmurs quickly, and under her breath to her companions, "This must be one of his powers. A burn, perhaps? But Edward's flesh looks unmarred." Her voice is very quick and low. Human ears would never pick up her speech, let alone decipher her words, but Bree and the wolves have no difficulty. "Cullen has no endurance. It clearly didn't even cause a wound. Probably just pain."

On screen, they watch the wind shift, the leaves on the trees rustling and waving toward the house. The real Jacob says to Bree, "That's a good opportunity. Have them smell the Volturi coming." And exactly on cue, the Jacob and Edward on screen simultaneously look toward the forest where Jane, Felix, and Chelsea stand hidden in the cover of the trees.

Edward looks triumphantly at Jacob. "Now you're in for it."

The false Jacob narrows his eyes in suspicion, glancing between the balcony where Bella awaits and the threat from the forest. In the control room, Jacob signals Bree, "Edward. Upstairs. Now." Edward releases Jacob. He immediately leaps to the balcony, quickly cuts Bella free, and drags her out to the balcony with her arms pinned behind her back in Edward's left hand, her head secured in his right, and her neck bared to his teeth. "Defensive crouch," Jacob tells Bree. Immediately, the false Jacob places his back against a large oak tree and squats down in a defensive posture, facing the oncoming Volturi.

Jane, Felix, and Chelsea lower their hoods as they glide off one screen, through two more, and appear in the backyard. Jacob prompts Bree, "Edward needs to greet them."

Onscreen, Edward grins and says, "Welcome, and thank you so much for coming. We've been waiting for you."

In the control room, Jacob tells Bree in a low growl, "What the fuck is this, Cullen? What are you playing at?" Onscreen, Jacob repeats the words with exactly the tone the real Jacob used. Jacob continues feeding Bree lines.

From the balcony, Edward replies, "You have your magic? I have mine!"

Bella pleads with Edward, "Don't, Edward. Please. Don't do this. I don't want this." Tears stream down her face.

Edward murmurs in her ear, "It will all be over soon, my love. And then we can be together." Bella only sobs harder.

Jane steps forward and addresses Edward. "I'm not sure she wants to be together, Edward." She tips her head so she can see Felix and Chelsea and gives them a small smile. "Not that it necessarily matters what she wants." Felix and Chelsea smile back at her.

In the control room, Jacob rapidly issues more instructions to Bree, and onscreen, Jacob says, "What she wants is the only thing that matters!"

Bree fixes her gaze on Jacob. "So what, pray tell, might you be?"

Onscreen they hear Bella answer in a shaking voice, "Let him go. Just let him go."

Edward grips her throat so she cannot speak. "He's a shaman. He is a practitioner of black magic, just as I told you. Please, Chelsea, break the bond. Break the spell before it's too late."

Chelsea looks to Jane, who nods. Chelsea fixes her gaze on Bella, staring at her intently, but nothing happens. Onscreen, Jacob holds his position and whispers hoarsely, "Do you see, Edward? There is no spell. This is not a bond you can break." Chelsea frowns in concentration, appearing to try harder. Jane looks back and forth between Jacob, Edward, and Bella. Bella's face turns red as she struggles to breathe past Edward's grip.

Jane announces, "You're strangling her, Edward. Let her speak." Edward appears to realizes what is going on, and visibly loosens his grip on Bella's throat. She coughs as she sucks in air.

In the control room, Jacob murmurs to Bree, and onscreen, Bella gasps and says weakly, "It isn't a spell, Edward. I just love him. I love him, and there isn't anything you can do about it."

Chelsea's face is grim, but Jane just looks amused. Chelsea murmurs something in Italian to Jane, and Jane replies. In the control room, Rosalie translates while they speak, "Chelsea is saying, 'We should have brought Marcus. I can't tell if they're telling the truth.' Jane says, 'Let me test them. I want to see what this shaman can do.'" Jane fixes her gaze on Jacob.

"Make me collapse, now!" Jacob says to Bree. And immediately, the onscreen version of Jacob appears to collapse in agony.

After about thirty seconds, Jane breaks her gaze and looks up to the balcony, where Bella is crying out for Jacob, and Edward is grinning madly. "Does that make you feel any better, Edward?" Jacob pants on the ground.

At Jacob's instruction, Bree has Edward say, "Yes. As a matter of fact, it does."

Jane turns to Chelsea and issues another instruction in Italian, which Rosalie again translates. "Try to bind the girl to him." Chelsea stares hard at the pair on the balcony. In the control room, Jacob murmurs to Bree, and Bella visibly relaxes somewhat. Edward looks pleased.

Jane speaks, "Tell us what you want, child."

Bella answers, "I want you to let Jacob go." Edward's eyes flare with anger.

"You know that we cannot let an outsider know of our existence. You, of all people, know that rule well," Jane replies calmly.

In the control room, Jacob says to Bree, "It doesn't matter anyway. I would not walk away from her even if you said I could." Jacob onscreen repeats the words even as they come out of real Jacob's mouth.  
From the balcony, Bella whispers Jacob's name.

Jane just smiles wider and signals to Chelsea with a nod of her head, then focuses her glare on Jacob. Rosalie prompts, "Now, Bree," and he drops to the ground as if in excruciating pain. Then Chelsea fixes her gaze on Bella once again.

This time, the torture lasts for more than five minutes. After a minute, Jacob begins to scream. He appears unconscious by the end, at Rosalie's insistence. Jane says, "One last try. If this doesn't work, Chelsea has no more to offer." Chelsea looks annoyed and furrows her brow in concentration. Bella simply weeps, staring at Jacob's still form.

After several tense minutes, in the control room Jacob taps Bree's shoulder, and he begins to moan onscreen. But they do not have him awaken yet. On the balcony, Bella smiles and sobs in obvious relief that Jacob still lives.

Chelsea shakes her head at Jane. Jane sighs and speaks up. "Thek we have nothing more to offer you except sanctuary. If you come with us, we can try with Marcus, who can sense bonds between people, a skill Chelsea does not possess. Perhaps this would make Chelsea's efforts more fruitful," she says to Edward.

Jacob nods at Bree, who returns her attention to the screen, where the false Jacob still lies on the ground. Edward appears resigned. "So be it. Then I will change her without it. Perhaps his spell can be weakened once she we are in Italy, and once he is dead."

Bella gasps and starts to weep again. Edward speaks quietly in her ear. "We shall be together forever, my love." Inside, Jacob whispers rapidly to Bree. While the Volturi are occupied watching the display on the balcony, Jacob silently rises to his feet. Just as Edward tips Bella's head to the side to expose her neck, Jacob rises swiftly to the balcony in an obvious display of superhuman power. It looks more like levitation than the leaping that he would actually be capable of.

Jacob screams an unintelligible cry and rushes Edward just as he sinks his teeth into Bella's neck. She screams as Jacob yells obscenities and pushes at Edward. Edward appears to struggle somewhat, but holds Jacob at arm's length until Jane yells up, "Enough! You're about to drain her!"

Edward pulls away from Bella, and she drops to the balcony wailing in pain. Jacob falls to his knees over Bella's writhing form, trying to hold her hand and stroke her cheeks. "Bells? Honey? Oh god. No, no, no..."

Edward smirks at them both. "I'd love to wait and let you watch her change into something you despise, Black, but I'm not taking the chance that you've got some trick up your sleeve." He immediately flashes to grab Jacob off Bella, yanking him painfully up with his arms twisted behind him and covering his mouth so he cannot speak.

In the control room, Jacob begins to issue instructions to Bree until Jane pipes up, "This shaman could make a powerful vampire, Edward. I would like to see what he becomes, and take him as a gift to Aro." Bree looks up at Jacob in surprise. They had not prepared for this contingency. But Jacob thinks quickly and issues new instructions as Bree makes Edward frown at Jane, looking back and forth between Bella, Jacob, and the Volturi. Onscreen, Jacob struggles harder.

Edward huffs out, "I would not have him rewarded with eternal life."

"Think of it this way, Edward. If he survives, we will not lock his spell in place with his death. He may be more... open to persuasion if he is one of us."

"Or he will just be more powerful, and his spell wholly unbreakable," Edward argues.

"All the better for us. We will not forget your generosity, Edward."

He narrows his eyes. "I don't have a choice, do I?"

Jane just smiles. "I can ask nicely, or not so nicely. Those are your choices."

Edward sighs. "I know you'd probably rather ask not so nicely. But I'll do it." He bares his teeth and sinks them deep into Jacob's neck as Jacob struggles wildly in his arms. Edward's hand stays firmly clamped over Jacob's mouth, muffling his screams.

Just as Edward removes his teeth from Jacob, making a face and saying, "He tastes rather awful," the wolves look on in horror as Felix, silent until now, glances straight into the camera nearest him. His brow furrows, and he steps toward it.

On the balcony, Edward drops Jacob's body onto the balcony. Jacob wails and grabs at his neck.

On the ground, Felix frowns directly into the camera and says, "Jane, come look at this."

The wolves stare at the monitors in dismay.

X-x-x-x-X

A/N: This is the last cliffhanger, I promise. Next chapter is the conclusion. Thanks for sticking with me.


	43. Chapter 43

X-x-x-x-X  
Monday  
X-x-x-x-X

Jane steps toward the camera, peering at it with concern. Out of sight of any of the cameras, an eagle lands on a pine far above their heads, and watches. The vampires do not notice. "Do you have anything to tell us, Edward?"

Jacob speaks directly in Bree's ear. "I have been monitoring my surroundings," Edward answers and shrugs. "I could not adequately watch Bella inside and keep watch for my siblings, Charlie Swan, Jacob's tribe or, to be honest, you, all at the same time without assistance. There are several." He points out three more for good measure. "Surely the halls of Volterra are similarly outfitted? Our home in Forks is monitored, albeit the cameras better hidden. I am working with inferior equipment here, and not nearly so much time and energy as went into designing the security of our main home."

She frowns at him. "We do not appreciate being recorded, Edward."

He answers, "Nor do I. It is a closed circuit, digitally recorded on a computer attached to no network. Easily destroyed." He looks down at Jacob's and Bella's forms. "I can turn it off right now. There is nothing left to watch for. Even if someone comes looking for them, they are too late." He disappears into the house momentarily and appears with a USB drive. He holds it up. "It's going into the fire." He tosses it in the burning fireplace before Jane has a chance to protest.

Jane looks at him suspiciously. "Fine, but I would have preferred to examine and destroy that myself."

The wolves hold their breath. The cover is flimsy at best. If Jane searches the house, Bree will not be able to fabricate a functioning computer with surveillance software loaded on it. And Edward's statement about the closed circuit and offline computer are gibberish.

Edward looks contrite. "Apologies, Jane. I should have known." Luckily, Jane presses no further.

Meanwhile, Bella's cries have lessened to agonized whimpers. Jacob has gone silent and still. Jane asks, "Shall we await the transformations in the house? We could gather a few treats for our hungry newborns. It would make a nice snack for all of us."

Edward picks Bella up in his arms, transferring her to the bed. In the control room, Jacob issues more instructions to Bree. Edward says, "Let's talk a bit about proper hunting grounds. I haven't partaken myself, obviously, but I have gotten to know the area. Let me restrain this one first."

Edward bends over Jacob, but rather than being weak with pain, Jacob appears fully lucid. From the ground, the Volturi cannot see him, but Bree has turned his skin several shades paler than usual and has dilated his pupils out. His thin irises look bright red.

"Impossible," Edward breathes. He steps back from Jacob's still form.

"What is it?" Jane asks.

"I cast no spell on Bella," Jacob speaks as he rises to his feet. "But I cast a protection spell on myself." Edward, startled, steps backward until he runs into the rail. Jane, Chelsea, and Felix immediately jump to the balcony, but Jacob flashes to Bella's side just as quickly. He cradles her in his arms and looks up at them. The Volturi can see his red irises.

"Don't do anything foolish!" Jane implores.

"I won't," Jacob whispers. "There is only one thing left to do, and it is not foolish at all."

In his arms, Bella looks up at him. Through her haze of pain, she whispers a single word. "Please."

"I love you forever," Jacob answers. In the control room, he cannot bring himself to watch, illusion or no, even though he is the one directing the scene.

Edward leaps at them screaming, "No!" But Jacob is too quick. Just before Edward plows into him, he snaps Bella's neck at an impossible angle. An injury she cannot recover from, vampire venom or no.

Edward's force throws Jacob from the bed and out into the third floor hallway. They tumble down the stairs, clawing at one another. The Volturi follow. On the second floor walkway, Edward lands on top of Jacob and tries to pin his arms. Jacob headbutts Edward viciously, knocking him back. A well placed kick to the sternum flings Edward down to the first floor. Jacob throws himself at Edward, but Edward rolls away, and Jacob lands hard with an empty grasp. From his position on the floor, Edward grabs Jacob's leg in an attempt to trip him. But Jacob, possessing both greater size and supposedly newborn strength, simply steps on Edward's chest. Edward stops trying to pull him down and simply attempts to free himself unsuccessfully. Jacob leans down over Edward, grasping his head in both large hands.

"Don't!" Jane screams from above, and simultaneously hurls herself over the rail while appearing to concentrate to aim pain in his mind. Nothing happens to the illusory Jacob. But before she lands beside Jacob, he rips off Edward's head and tosses it into the blazing fireplace. The head screams.

"What did you do?" Jane shrieks and fixes her furious gaze on Jacob. He looks at her defiantly for a split second. Then he drops to his knees and falls forward, supporting himself with his hands flat on the floor. He takes deep, laboring breaths, head bowed nearly to the hardwood.

In the control room, Jacob turns to Rosalie. "Time to make an appearance." She nods and slips out the back door. He turns back to Bree. "End it."

Chelsea admonishes Jane, "He is still worth something. We don't have to go home empty handed. Let up on him."

Jane turns up to her in confusion. "It's not me! I'm not doing anything."

With a groan, Jacob collapses onto the floor, shaking. The Volturi look on in confusion. "What's wrong with you?" Jane asks Jacob. "You did it. You killed Cullen. It's over. Get up!" Jacob just moans and writhes in pain. Felix and Chelsea walk down the stairs. The three Volturi guard stand over Jacob, perplexed.

Rosalie opens the front door and surveys the situation. Three heads turn to look at her. "Rosalie Cullen?" Jane asks.

Rosalie steps forward, kneeling over Edward's headless body and looking at the remnants of his head in the flame. "Goddamnit, brother," she mutters.

"Can you explain any of this?" Jane asks, gesturing at Jacob. Rosalie steps between Felix and Chelsea and rolls Jacob onto his back.

"Edward bit him?" Rosalie asks.

"Yes," Jane answers. "But only minutes ago. Not nearly enough time for a transformation, yet he jumped up with supernatural strength and ripped Edward's head off. But then, this." She waves her hand at Jacob.

"We saw this once before. When we lived here in the last century. A shaman, not nearly as powerful as Jacob. This was his only defense from vampires. A spell of protection. After a nomad bit him, he turned quickly. Like this, only it took about an hour. When he woke up, he had the strength of a newborn. But it only lasted a few hours. Just long enough for him to revenge himself. As soon as he did, he died." As they watch, Jacob's writhing slows to shivers. He groans weakly. "The spell had a cost. Like a bee, I suppose. They sting in self defense, but it is fatal to them. They quickly perish."

"Is there nothing we can do? He would have been a prime specimen to take home."

"Nothing that I know of," Rosalie sighs. "He is the last male of his line, and the only shaman left. The girls do not have the talent, nor do they pass it on. Even his father did not display any power. What he knows dies with him." She turns back to Edward's headless corpse. "I told him to leave her alone. From the very beginning, it could only end badly. To fall in love with your singer? An impossible situation."

Jane looks infuriated. "So that's it? We came all this way for nothing?"

Rosalie glares at her, feigning misery at Edward's death. It isn't difficult. She really does feel bad about the way his life ended. "You got what you wanted. The human girl is dead, and her secrets are safe. Everything else, for you at least, remains the same as before. It is the rest of us who have to suffer the loss."

Jacob stills completely, his body relaxing against the floorboards. Rosalie rolls him onto his back, crosses his arms over his chest, and closes his vacant, red eyes. Back in the control room, the wolves hold their breath. The performance is nearly done.

Jane rolls her eyes at the gesture and says, "At least we have their bodies for experimentation." The watching wolves tense at the statement. Jacob begins to issue new instructions to Bree, but pauses when he hears Rosalie.

Rosalie shakes her head. "No. I will take all their bodies back. Charlie Swan will bury his daughter, and knowing she is dead, will not continue a search that could expose all of us. He will blame Edward, and will not look further. Carlisle will want to burn Edward ourselves and spread his ashes. We will return Jacob to his tribe. We have lived beside the Quileute on and off for a century. They are suspicious of us enough as it is. They expect their son returned to them and they will have him."

"Won't it just provoke them? To return his lifeless corpse, hard as stone and unbreakable?"

Rosalie shakes her head. "Carlisle is a man of honor. You know that, and so do they. He has promised to return Jacob to them, and he will do so. We will burn him first and return his ashes so they will not learn what happened to him. We are not trying to cause an exposure of our kind. But it would be worse to let them wonder of his fate forever. Although Jacob had disobeyed his people, although he went outside his tribe to love an outsider, they would still not want his body desecrated. He was their beloved son, and his remains are sacred to them. I will return him to them." She stands firm.

An odd look passes over Jane's face. She is obviously deciding whether to torture Rosalie into compliance. It would be easy, even if Jane was alone, let alone with Felix and Chelsea beside her. But she realizes that Carlisle still has the respect of her masters. And it is too late to bring home the real prizes already. She reluctantly agrees to leave. "You won't mind if we don't stay to clean up, then."

"Not at all," Rosalie answers. "Pass along my best wishes to your masters."

Jane steps out the front door followed closely by Chelsea, and the wolves grin at each other until Felix pauses in the open doorway and turns to face Rosalie. He narrows his eyes. "Where did you come from? I thought you were far ahead of us."

Rosalie looks down at the floor, frowns convincingly, and sighs. She thinks quickly on her feet, knowing her scent is all over the house and yard. "I followed him here well before you arrived," she admits. "I even helped him set up the cameras while I tried to talk him out of it. But that was futile. I hated her, the girl." She looks Felix in the eye directly, her gaze piercing. "She had a choice once. Between life and this miserable existence. She chose badly when she chose Edward. She had everything I always wanted, and she walked away from it. I despised her for it. But she changed her mind. Before it was too late." Her statements carry the ring of truth, as there is honesty in what she says scattered amongst the lies.

Felix shakes his head. "It was too late the day she stepped into Volterra."

Rosalie squeezes her eyes shut. "I know. But I wasn't going to let it happen to her."

"What did you think you could do to stop Edward? Or to stop us?"

Rosalie takes a deep breath. "Kill her. I thought if I got close enough, I could kill her. The true death. A mercy. Not our curse to walk the earth forever."

Jacob exchanges a glance with Leah. They are both wondering the same thing. How much truth is in Rosalie's statement? Would she really have killed Bella in order to stop her from being turned? Jacob had once told Bella in anger that he wished her dead rather than changed. But after being faced with the very real possibility of being with her as a vampire, he knew he would love her in whatever form she took.

Rosalie continues, "I was staying just out of range so that Edward couldn't hear my thoughts. Trying to figure out a way in. Making it past the cameras would be easy. But he would hear my thoughts long before I got close enough to do anything."

Felix nods in understanding. "But then the shaman came."

Rosalie nods. "And then all I could do was wait and watch." She glances up to the third floor where Bella's body lies still. "And it worked out anyway, didn't it?"

"My masters will be displeased at your attempts to interfere," he warns.

She just shrugs. "At my undirected thoughts? My failure to intervene? Let them. They can also be pleased that I am cleaning up the mess. There will be no secrets spilled, no nasty little truths revealed. I know how to be discreet, and I have broken none of their laws. They can think what they want of me. You can think what you want of me. At least I am honest. I did not want this fate, and I do not wish it on my enemies."

She walks to the stairs and turns back to Felix. "If there isn't anything else?" After several beats he nods at her to go. She recovers Bella's body quickly and bears it down the stairs as he watches her. Rosalie lays Bella's still form down next to Jacob's.

"What do you think?" Felix asks. "Did the shaman steal Bella from your brother with black magic?"

Rosalie tilts her head up at Felix. "You and I both know that we, not the humans, are the ones who possess black magic." He smiles darkly in acknowledgment, steps out of the house, and disappears into the night. Rosalie watches him go from the front window. She sees the eagle take to the sky behind him, following the vampires away, but doesn't recognize it for what it is.

The wolves stare at the monitors for long minutes after the Volturi guard disappear. Not one of them quite believes the threat has passed, and without a single casualty. It is simply too good to be true.

Quil breaks the silence first with a small chuckle. The chuckle turns into laughter, the laughter turns into guffaws, and then they are all slapping each other on the back and hugging and congratulating one another. Quil wheezes through his laughter, "If only we'd been able to work in the Jake Black special!" Embry wags his tail happily in his corner. Rosalie winks into the camera scanning the great room. She quietly states she is going to stay put for a few minutes in case the Volturi return, then sits calmly down on the sofa and starts thumbing through a magazine.

Bree's thin voice pipes up, "How long do I keep up the charade?" Sam lays her on the floor where she rocks back and forth like a turtle rolled back on its shell.

"Let's wait until we're sure they're gone," Jacob answers. He kneels over her. "I despise you, but I have to give credit where credit is due. You pulled it off, so I'll hold up my end of the bargain."

As soon as he finishes speaking, they hear Rosalie's phone chime. She answers, and they hear high pitched squealing from the other end. Rosalie laughs, thanks Alice, and hangs up. "Did you catch that?"

"She sounded like a mosquito," says Quil. Rosalie, of course, cannot hear him.

"She said that there is only one future for Bella now, and she can see almost none of it." Rosalie looks rather smug.

Jacob grins at the screen. "Guess that's our answer," he says to Bree. Immediately, the false corpses disappear.

Rosalie says, "Stay where you are for a bit longer. I don't know how far away they are, and we don't need the stench of wet dog to drift downwind and draw their attention. Call me if you need me before I get back. I'll clean things up here," and begins flashing from room to room. The cameras blink out one by one.

In the corner, Embry phases back to human form and tugs on his shorts. "Bella's going to have to fight Charlie for the right to give you the first kiss when we get back, man. He's even more excited than she is."

"Are you going to run back tonight?" Leah asks. It is late, and the other wolves all feel like a good night's rest is well deserved.

Jacob glances at Bree's limbless form on the ground. "Depends on how long this takes," he says, pointing at her. He addresses Bree directly. "We'll be taking your head off again, by the way. You probably don't need to feel your body being ripped apart anyway, and we'd just as soon not have you watching when we do this." Bree looks at him with a carefully neutral expression. He locks away her arm and legs for the time being so that they do not have to worry about her trying to reassemble herself while their guard is down.

Meanwhile, Sam goes to the kitchen to order five extra large pizzas. A knock sounds at the front door at the same time that Rosalie re-emerges through the back. She smirks. "So much for discretion, huh? Starving bellies trump your good sense?"

Quil protests. "Ordering pizzas is excellent sense."

"Ordering five extra large pizzas when there clearly isn't a party going on in here is, though. It's conspicuous."

"In that case, I hope the Volturi aren't delivering our pizzas tonight." Sam answers the door. The wolves devour the food as Rosalie looks on with a scowl of distaste.

She turns to Leah. "How do you stand it? They're pigs, not wolves."

Quil answers, "I'm so glad I'm a werewolf instead of a were-pig!"

Rosalie just rolls her eyes. Then she glances at her watch. "I think it's been long enough. They've got to be long gone by now."

Jacob nods and heads into the secluded backyard to check for any humans in the area. It is late, and no one is nearby, except for the eagle, which has returned to watch over them, and is sitting in a nearby tree. He nods to it in greeting. He recognizes that it is the same eagle who guided him on his first spirit walk.

Meanwhile, Sam has already unlocked the safes. At Jacob's signal, he brings the torso outside. The rest of the wolves follow with the remaining body parts. Inside, Rosalie lights a fire. "I don't think we'll need that," Jacob calls in.

"Better to be safe than sorry," she answers, and Jacob shrugs.

"Who wants the honor of beheading this leech?" Jacob asks. Although he knows that the whole pack is relieved to have tricked the Volturi into leaving, resulting in little to no remaining threat to the tribe, their natural inclination is to fight. There is something viscerally disappointing about being close to vampires and not shredding them to bits. Quil gives a feral grin and drops the leg he holds, lowers his shorts, and phases quickly. Jacob turns Bree's torso so she can see him just as Rosalie exits the house. "We'll know it if you try to tamper with any of those chips. If it happens in a year, in five, or when we're old and gray. Don't fuck with us, don't come back to North America, stay the hell out of Italy, and you can do whatever you want. Deal?"

Bree looks at the surrounding group of menacing wolves. "It's not like I have a choice. Deal."

Quil doesn't hesitate. As soon as Sam drops the limbless monster to the ground, Quil tears her head off with an awful screeching metal sound. Rosalie immediately appears to take the lifeless head in her arms. "Let me get started with this thing." She heads inside. A few seconds later a pungent, stinging smoke rises from the chimney, and Jacob and Leah rush inside. Rosalie stands in front of the fireplace. Bree's head is blazing.

"We made her a promise!" Jacob says with an expression of shock on his face. The rest of the wolves pile into the room behind him.

Rosalie turns to them with a cocked brow. "As for my part, I lied. Did you really want to have to track her until the end of time? Did you really want to let Bella out of your sight, knowing that bitch was still out there somewhere, minus one arm, working herself into a frenzy of anger, wanting revenge?"

"Of course not," Jacob admits easily.

"Then just be happy. Your honor isn't besmirched, dog. This was my decision, not yours. We didn't go through all this trouble just to leave her out there in the world trying to figure out a way to come back and ruin your lives. Vampires have long memories. Trust me. We hold onto our grudges. Our bitterness only grows. Even if she never tried to make a move on you or Bella, what about once you're gone? What about your kids? What about the tribe in a hundred years?"

Leah nods in agreement. "She's right, Jacob. She did you a massive favor. And you didn't even have to mislead Bree yourself. Just say thank you."

Jacob's expression of surprise fades into a grin. "Yeah. Of course. I'm being an idiot. Thank you."

She smiles. "Yes, you are. And you're welcome."

Sam says, "Guess we should get rid of the rest of her, then."

Jacob turns toward him. "Yeah, but we don't have to stink this place up any more than we already have. We don't own this place, and whoever lives here during the off season probably won't appreciate coming home to the aroma of burned vamp ashes. I'll take it out to the woods and do it there."

"I'll come with you," offers Rosalie. "These guys may want to get some sleep," she says, pointing to the rest of the wolves. "Unless you were going to run back tonight?"

They look at each other. Adrenaline has them all alert, but none of them has gotten good rest in the past few weeks. "Nah," Embry answers. "No need to pull another all-nighter."

"Why don't you guys go back to the bigger place, then? It's more comfortable, and there are enough bedrooms for each of you to have your own," she offers.

They agree and move toward the door. Embry pauses next to the box of microchips. "Were these good for anything?" he asks, picking them up.

"Those are old SIM cards from our discarded cell phones. They're old enough that they don't have GPS trackers in them. But there are phone numbers to some pretty interesting people in there, especially in the ones that belonged to Carlisle. He's made a lot of contacts over the years," she says. Embry laughs and tosses the box to her before the pack leaves.

Jacob heads out the back door, and Rosalie follows. "You were right. That was clearly the best thing to do."

"Why do you think I did it? It was easier than giving you the unwanted advice of telling you to do it yourself. Someone once told me it's sometimes better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission."

Jacob laughs as he picks up Bree's torso. "I'm guessing that wasn't Carlisle."

She smiles grimly. "Of course not. It was Edward." Rosalie gathers the limbs, and they walk along the lake, just inside the treeline. The cover of darkness keeps them from prying eyes.

"That does sound like him. Don't teach that lesson to Quil, okay? He'd really take it to heart, and it's hard enough to be his Alpha already."

"You don't really think it's hard. You're a good Alpha. Remember, I knew Ephraim. I have something to compare you to. He'd be proud," she says honestly.

"Thanks," Jacob answers. "Hey, while we're on the subject of unwanted advice?"

"Yeah?"

"Your cover story blows."

She laughs. "What do you mean?"

"Two crazy rich twenty-something parents who decided to adopt a bunch of teenagers, most of whom are supposedly unrelated, but all have ridiculously pale skin and matching sets of freaky eyes? And they let their kids all hook up with each other? Foster parents who let their kids date each other get investigated by Child Protective Services."

She looks amused. "Okay, fine, what do you suggest?"

"You're already pretending to be Jasper's twin, right? And there's no way Carlisle and Esme could be your actual parents."

"Uh huh."

"So keep Jasper your brother. You don't have to think outside the box at all to make Carlisle your brother too. You all look alike anyway. And Alice and Emmett can be related to Esme somehow. Esme and Carlisle bonded over having to take care of their little siblings, and that's how they ended up getting married and Brady Bunching you all together. If two of you can manage to keep your hands off each other while you're in public, it won't look that strange that every single one of you is paired off. And go buy some colored contacts. I'm pretty sure you can afford them. Only half of you even have to wear them. The other half have genetically matching crazy eyes."

"Oh." Rosalie looks chagrined. "We even used to do that when it was just Carlisle, Esme, Edward and I. We sort of stopped when the family grew. There wasn't even a reason why."

"And get some coverup. I'm pretty sure that in the last five decades, makeup technology has advanced enough to let you all out of the house when it's sunny. Bella told me you all go 'camping' on clear days?"

"Supposedly," she replies.

"I can't believe you guys have gotten away with that. The Forks school system needs a serious administrative overhaul if they let you get away with that shit. And Carlisle has an actual job, right? How does he just not show up to work when the clouds part in the sky? How hasn't he gotten fired?"

"He still goes to work, it's just the rest of us who cut classes," she answers. "He just stays away from windows as best he can, and he does put on some powder stuff to tone down the shine."

"So you guys know how to cover up, and you just choose to stick out like sore thumbs?"

She shrugs. "I'm vain, so sue me. I know I look better without it, so I don't put it on. And the powder feels wrong on my skin. It's not like attending high school civics for the twentieth time is a good use of my time anyway. I mean, what exactly am I missing by playing hooky?"

"Okay, we've been over that already. You aren't going back to high school again, are you?"

"No," she concedes. "Emmett and I are going to go to Africa soon, anyway. I'll enroll in med school next fall. What about you?"

"What about me? I actually am sixteen, not just pretending to be. I still have to get through high school the first time around. Which seems ridiculous, considering how I've spent my summer."

"I am sorry for that, Jacob. We really didn't think about the consequences when we moved back here. We should have known what would happen to you boys. It's not like we didn't know about the last pack."

He shrugs. He doesn't have anything nice to say on this point. It is easy to be magnanimous now that they have repelled the threats, but he doesn't want this to continue. The Cullens may be the best of their kind, but they bring chaos with them. He doesn't want his own children to suffer the fate that he did, even if it has turned out well in the end. "That's why I would still like you guys to move. You really are welcome on the reservation, Rosalie, it's the least we can do after all your help. But I don't want this to happen to anyone else. I want my kids to have more choices than I've got. Everyone's life is on hold for now. My pack should have the option to grow up and go to college, get normal jobs, meet other people, but they can't right now. And even once you all go, it'll take months or years for most of them to gain the control they need to stop phasing."

"Don't worry, we will be moving along. Even if we hadn't already agreed to go, Esme isn't going to want to stay in our house anymore, and she won't want to come back later. Too many memories of Edward."

They reach a spot that is secluded enough for their purposes, and Jacob goes to gather firewood while Rosalie guards the remaining body parts. Soon they have a fire blazing. Jacob watches the plume of bitter smoke as it rises into the sky. High above, the eagle circles. Bree turns to ash.

"How does it feel?" Rosalie breaks the silence.

"I'm relieved," he answers honestly. "And really tired."

"I miss sleeping," she says quietly. "I miss dreams." Jacob thinks to himself that his own dreams have brought him more joy than he could ever have imagined. "Are you going home tonight, or are you going to get some sleep?"

"Home is tempting. Going back to Bella is tempting. But I'm sort of dead on my feet, and I'm lucky. She'll be there in my dreams."

"Like really, actually there, right?"

"Yeah," he nods.

"Then go on and get some rest. I'll put this fire out."

"What about you?"

"It's time for a hunt. Been a few days. So I'll be occupied. Go on, I'll see you tomorrow."

Jacob jogs quickly back. He passes the large vacation home. He can sense his brothers and sister inside. Every window in the entire house is open to let out the stench of vampire, so it is very easy to tell that everyone is asleep.

He bypasses the large house in favor of the smaller one. He doesn't consider it a possibility to sleep where Bella was held hostage. He takes a quick shower, tugs on a pair of shorts he finds in a drawer, and falls into the nearest bed.

_This time it is he who seeks out the little red house. He is certain she is there. He can sense her inside. He pushes open the door and finds her lying in his small bed, fast asleep. She looks serene. Her chest slowly rises and falls. Within it, her heart beats steadily. Her hand lies open and relaxed on the pillow by her head. Her thick lashes rest against her cheek. She is warm and soft and alive. He kneels at her side and runs his fingers lightly along the planes of her smooth skin. He feels warm puffs of her breath against his hand through her slightly opened mouth. He cannot resist their pull, and lightly runs his thumb over the plump bottom lip. She sighs and mumbles a sound that might be his name, but does not awaken._

_She is so beautiful. No matter what happens to them, no matter where life takes them, he knows he will always have this. This peace. This tranquility in the depths of his soul from knowing that he can find her here. In the little red house that is his home, that has become hers as well._

_Each and every time they found each other here, he was terrified she would not come. Would not be able to come. Would never be able to again. He cannot remember why, but he is no longer afraid._

_She still has not stirred. He does not want to disturb her, but he needs his body closer to hers. He needs her in his arms the way she is already in his heart. He gingerly climbs over her and slides into bed beside her, slipping one arm under her to draw her in close, wrapping the other around her waist, spooning her. She hums in contentment and slips her hand down to cover his, but still does not rise. Jacob himself is asleep within seconds, breathing in the scent of his Bells._

_It is still dark when Bella awakens to the feeling of strong, warm arms wrapped around her. Hot breath stirs her hair. She smiles to herself. Jacob is here._

_She turns in the circle of his embrace so that she can look at him. The boy, the man, the wolf who has become her heart's home. Who was waiting for her so patiently, and for so many years. He has always been her friend, and has recently become her love. Now Jacob is her sanctuary._

_She leans up to kiss him gently. At first she intends only to brush her lips against his. But she knows that he tastes wonderful, and cannot resist snaking out her tongue. Which results in him tightening his grip around her waist, fingers of his other hand threading through her hair, and opening his mouth to her on a groan._

_She loses herself in pure sensation. They do not speak. Words are unnecessary, and it is impossible to kiss like this and talk anyway. And they absolutely cannot stop kissing. He is all heat and passion. His lips are full and soft. They tell her tales of love and friendship and desire, all without words. All for her. It is almost endless._

_Eventually they have to separate, if only for a second, when his wandering fingers slip along her waist and up under her shirt, higher and higher, until they have to break apart to slide it off her arms and head. It falls to the floor. She grasps his shoulders again. Then he palms her bottom in his large hands, squeezing gently, before hooking his thumbs in her waistband and tugging down. This he can do without breaking their kiss. It's awkward, but she wiggles her hips, bends her knees, and shifts her legs until he can shove down with his foot, all the while tangling her tongue with his. Then she is momentarily annoyed to find that they are still not skin to skin. Since when does Jacob wear shorts to bed? It is an error that has to be corrected. Now. She pulls her hips back far enough to allow her hands room to undo his fly, and together they manage to work his shorts off and away._

_She sighs in audible relief against his mouth when all she feels against her skin is his, his hot length throbbing against her thighs. She wants him, and he knows it. He rolls her onto her back and starts trailing his tongue down her neck. He bites gently along her clavicle, sending sharp waves of pleasure shooting through her. She buries her hands in his hair and massages his scalp. He kisses his way down her breast, and circles the areola with the tip of his tongue, then moves to her mark and massages it with his lips. She hums her contentment._

_Coming together this time is languid and slow. For once, there is no sense of urgency, no air of desperation. No cold presence outside the window, no fear that she will be ripped away in the midst of passion, no sense that the morning will bring only loneliness. Tonight, they can take their time._

_So when Jacob draws her stiff peak into his mouth and suckles, gently thumbing her other nipple with his hand, but doesn't immediately bring her to orgasm, she decides to relax and just follow him wherever he takes her. It isn't a tease tonight. It is an exploration. A rediscovery of the swells and valleys of her body that he has already mapped out, traversed, and made his home._

_He leaves no inch of her skin untouched. After sampling both breasts, he slides down to her belly, tracing around her navel with his nose, brushing his cheek against her soft flesh, and dropping kisses on the arcs of her hips. He gently grasps one of her hands buried in his hair, and kisses each one of her fingers and the back of her hand. He opens her palm and holds it up against his much bigger one, entwining their fingers. He then kisses his way up the arm, across the top of her chest, pausing to lick gently at his mark on her breast, and then down the other arm. He repeats his loving treatment of her other hand. When he is done there, he slides his hand under her hip and pushes her onto her belly._

_The luminous canvas of her back begs for him to draw a picture with his fingers and his tongue. He traces spirals and sunbursts and stars on her skin, paying special attention to the mark on her shoulder. He kisses it and licks at it and rakes his teeth against it until she quakes with a small orgasm. And from that moment on, every point of contact between his body and hers is a warm blaze on her flesh. For a while, they both feared she might never be warm again, but now there is no more fear._

_He makes his way down to the dimples in the small of her back and dips his tongue in them. She shivers in response. He gently massages the swell of her behind and pulls her hips up, spreading her legs and lowering down to kiss her folds gently. She trembles under him, and he laps up her musky flavor, but avoids dipping his tongue into her or touching her clitoris. He will not be rushed tonight. But her body does not know that, and she feels empty without him buried inside her._

_He releases her so she can lie flat again, and she tries to be patient. She lets his love wash over her. It is palpable in the air around them. In this universe, they alone exist. His presence is all she could possibly need._

_He kisses his way down her legs. He dips his tongue into the sensitive spots on the backs of her knees, and she squirms beneath him. Goosebumps rise on her skin, but she is not cold. She cannot be cold with his heat so close, warming her body and her soul. He sits back on his heels and draws her feet into his lap one by one so he can massage them. By the end of that, she is so relaxed she almost falls asleep again._

_He turns her onto her back once more and crawls upward, massaging her calves and thighs in his hot hands. He settles himself between them. He kisses at the juncture of her left thigh, then her right. He breathes her in. Her lips glisten before him, tempting him to taste. There is no reason to resist any longer. He has neglected no spot on her body, left no parcel of skin unattended. He has prepared every other inch of her, and she is more than ready. He draws her knees up and tilts her open._

_For long seconds he simply stares at her open, willing body. She feels his eyes on her, and does not move other than to breathe. His gaze causes a flush on her skin. He smiles at the sight. Her body has always been so easy to read, and is so responsive to his. The evidence of her desire for him is compelling. She would be embarrassed spread before anyone else this way. But this is Jacob. She knows that Jacob loves her more than anyone else has ever loved her, and she cannot be self conscious here with him._

_He lowers his lips to her. First, he simply drops soft kisses on her outer lips. Back and forth, up and down. She runs her fingers through his hair with one hand, and toys with her breasts with the other. He sees, and it draws him from his place of peace and comfort into a state of heightened arousal. His neglected shaft aches for her. He dips his tongue into her body. She tastes of musk and sweetness and sex. Her tight passage contracts around him. Her flavor is for him, and him alone. They both moan at the pleasure of it. The sensation is electric. For both of them. There is a connection between them that goes beyond the physical, beyond even the deep love and friendship they share. His touch sends sparks flying through her and into him._

_He shifts up to lap at her clitoris, and the contact is overwhelming for them both. He always loves doing this to her, but tonight is different. It is almost as if he can feel the impressions of his touch on her within his own body. His tongue swirls and sucks and teases, and they both thrill with the pleasure. He slides two fingers into her wet heat, pumping gently. Waves of bliss flow outward through her form and wash over him. He revels in it. He could drown in her and be thankful for it. He can tell how close she is, so he curls his fingers in just the right spot as he sucks her clitoris between his soft lips, and she shatters._

_It brings her almost outside of herself. Almost beyond awareness. But she stays with him. Always with him. When he slides up her body and lays his heavy, muscular form along hers, flush against her, she wraps her arms around his broad shoulders and her world narrows down to only him. He slides his shaft between her thighs. He is so very hot. Silky smooth but steel hard all at once. He buries his face in the crook of her neck, reminding her of the gesture of a small boy tucking himself close to his mother, an odd juxtaposition with his massive, masculine body yearning toward her. But here, she is every woman to him. Lover, friend, family. She is contented to know that she can bring both ecstasy to his body and tranquility to his soul. And everywhere his body touches hers, heat kindles. He rises up to brush his lips against hers once more, then shifts his hips against her as she winds her fingers through his hair._

_He drags his engorged cock between her labia and along her sensitive bundle of nerves. Again and again, slick and hot for her and only her. She feels strands of energy wind out from her core and throughout her body whenever he rocks against her. He isn't even inside her, yet she feels so full of him. It doesn't feel like sex, it feels like magic. Edward was right. (Who was that exactly?) Jacob is powerful. She can hear it in his voice, feel it under his skin. Jacob has been weaving around her the most wonderful spell. He started years ago, before he had any idea what he was doing, when he first became enamoured of her. With every touch of his hand to hers, every smile he aimed at her, each word of affection and laughter, he spun another thread. And since she returned to him, as they grew closer and closer, he wove the threads into a beautiful blanket, a tapestry, a web of magic. She is entwined in it, and never, ever wants to escape. Because the strands are built of truth, devotion, passion, friendship and love._

_There is nothing left between them. No threats, no fears, no insecurities. No enemies trying to tear them apart. No false gods playing with her heart. She is no longer toying with his. They merge and are one._

_He looks down at her as they move together. She is incandescent. She is happy and healthy and blissful as she unites with him. Her eyes lock with his, and he falls into her gaze. He cannot tell where he ends and she begins, and he wouldn't have it any other way. He fills her, she surrounds him, and they slide and slip and slick against each other. They join, again and again, sending ripples of euphoria through his entire body, to hers, and back to his again. It has never been this good. Never. Not their first time, not when he marked her in the dream or in the waking world, nor after he rescued her. It is a manifestation of their love, and their love is now pure. It is unadulterated by anxiety or doubt._

_So as lips meet, hands grip, skin glides, sexes throb and marry together, each and every nerve sings in awareness of the other. Of mate. Their atoms combine, reform, and melt into each other. Each electron of his is a separate pinpoint of light on her skin, sinking into her, meandering through the very fiber of her being, changing her and making her stronger. And for him, the same._ _His web of magic envelops them both. Their coupling is passionate and overwhelming. It is more than making love. It is the twining of spirits. He has worked his way into her on every level, and she is never going to let go. Death itself could not entirely separate them now._

_Time stops in a moment of pure bliss. The perfection, for both of them, is simultaneous and absolute. They explode together in rapturous bliss. The universe expands, then contracts, and eventually they are still. They drift off, limbs tangled, bodies still one._

X-x-x-x-X

The next morning, Jacob is only slightly disappointed to wake alone. He remembers each moment of the night before with perfect clarity. He feels different. Better. Stronger and complete. He would love to have Bella in his arms right now, but he understands that what happened to them could not have happened in the waking world. What happened to merge their spirits could only have occurred on the astral plane. He isn't certain what happened, not exactly. It wasn't imprinting, that he knows. He knows his brothers' minds quite well, and what happened between him and Bella was unlike anything he had seen before. It was better. So he cannot regret the physical distance between them. Once again, it paradoxically brought them together.

And besides, it is only a matter of time before he returns to her. A very short time.

So he readies himself quickly and returns to the house where his pack is loading Rosalie's and Charlie's equipment into her van. It is quick work between them. They rapidly move to the smaller rental, break it down, and head for home. Just as he phases, he hears the screech of an eagle. He looks up. The eagle circles high above. It leads him back home.

He outpaces each of them, even Leah. The only one that can match his speed is the eagle soaring high above him. It cannot be a normal eagle. It is much too intelligent, and much too fast. They race home together. He needs to close the distance between him and his heart. So he runs. He revels in the wind, the speed, the sheer exhilaration, and in the knowledge that each movement brings him closer to home. To her.

By midday, he can smell LaPush. The tang of the ocean and the musty verdant scent of the forest. The sun shines down on him in a rare display. Even the eagle looks excited to be going home. He slows as he approaches the reservation. He has to be careful. The light of day can reveal him if he is not careful. But even so, picking his way carefully home, he arrives in what feels like no time at all. He phases back, tugs on his shorts, and approaches the forest edge. The eagle alights in a tall pine overlooking the little red house.

The first thing he spots is not Bella, nor his father, or even Charlie Swan. Paul sits glumly on the back porch of his house. And there is an unfamiliar silver SUV parked in the driveway. Jacob picks out new human scents. And then he sees a tall, muscular, ebony-skinned man leaning out of the open back door. He has just put Rachel's suitcase in, and he shuts the door. Jacob gets a good look at him as he turns around. He has no hair, wide set dark eyes, prominent cheekbones, a strong jaw, and a bright smile as big as Jacob's own, directed at Rachel, who has just come out the front door and around the side where the car is parked. They do not touch, or speak, or flirt. Rachel looks back quickly, knowing Paul is very near, and spots her brother.

"Jake!" she squeals, and runs toward him. He hugs her tightly and laughs with her, and when he releases her, his love is standing in the back door of his home, their fathers right behind her. Everything, everyone falls away, except her.

She steps toward him, and he drinks in the sight. He does not move until she is close enough to touch.

"Where have you been?" she whispers, a smile forming on her lips, tears glistening in her warm brown eyes.

He smiles right back at her. "I'm right here."

He closes the gap between them, and wraps her up in his arms. He feels it again at the first touch of his skin to hers; energy passes between them, just as in their dream. "You're here?" she murmurs in his ear. Her breath sends shivers down his spine.

His heart swells nearly to bursting. He lifts her off her feet, twirls her around and around, and replies, "I'm here."

And he is home.

X-x-x-x-X

A/N: Thanks for going on this journey with me. I hope you enjoyed it.

This chapter of the story is concluded, but an alternate ending has been written as well. It has been posted on Jacob Black N Pack and Tricky Raven.

The sequel to the story has also been started, Dreamscapes: Revelations, and several chapters are available on this site.

Best wishes,

-Zoe


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